Lit & Liquor

Pitting romance novels against each other just didn't prove to be enough of a battle for our bloodthirsty selves, so we came up with a different mix to throw into the ring: father versus son in the combination of Stephen King and his son, Joe King or as the literary world knows him, Joe Hill. You may remember him from an earlier episode as the author of a horror anthology, "21st Century Ghosts", which had mixed reviews from the group.

This week, we decided to take each of their first full-length novels and see how they compared. For the "King of Horror" that ended up being "Carrie", so naturally we had to settle down with our blood orange cocktail, "The Favorite," and watch the movie as well.

Joe Hill's first novel went by the name "Heart Shaped Box", and in what was deemed to be a purposeful break from his father's favorite book setting of Maine, our characters traveled up and down and around and across the South of the good old USA, blood and destruction following. Therefore, our Southern Spiked Peach Iced Tea helped to wash away the gore just a little bit. Listen on to find out who our favorite was!

You hear that noise? Quiet, quiet... ah, yes, that one. The sound of a Viking warlord soundly spanking his captive. Not your cup of tea? Well, ours neither but you can look forward to such things in this weeks romance novel face off episode! Last rounds winner, the samurai, is represented by "Firefly: Warrior Woman of the Samurai". While they again didn't show too strongly in the ring, at least our Lychee Sour cocktail brought its best self.

In the other corner, switch in hand and ready to strike, is "Conquered by the Viking" by Ashe Barker. What other choice for a drink pairing was there than mead? We explored a Honey Wine and a flavored Passionfruit Mead to soften blows of all types from this book.

There's nothing we like better than real history packaged as fiction with a little--or a lot--of dramatic flair. There's nothing we mutually dislike more than Nazis, and our books this week delivered some of both.

Ashley has a personal connection with our first book, "Citizen 865" by Debbie Cenzipek, which is a completely factual exploration into the famed Nazi hunters within the US government. Though a completely sobering tale, our Häagen Dazs Spirits Ice Cream kept our spirits up through this discussion (pun intended).

Adding a little more amusement but no less horror to the discussion was "The Boys From Brazil" by Ira Levin, a story that uses real figures from WWII for a fictitious plot about raising clones of Hitler for the Fourth Reich. Aside from historical facts, you can also find out the truth of whether sword canes are lawfully allowed in the US, and enjoy all it all over our White Sand Cocktail, using our new and much beloved Leblon Cachaça rum.

Don't forget, new episodes weekly during June and July! See you next week, lieblings!

If you, too, have felt serial killer urges at any point while dealing with people in a grocery store... well, officially we have to tell you: you should seek counseling. Unofficially, you should know you're not alone and might find this episode where we read two serial killer books a little validating.

"Darkly Dreaming Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay may have a ring of familiarity to it, as it serves as the basis for the Showtime show "Dexter". Trying to switch things up this week, the crew chose beers and reaffirmed, though it wasn't really in question, that we are just not really beer people. We tried, y'all. This book was paired with two brews from Rogue Brewing Company, the aptly named Dead Guy Ale and a Chocolate Nitro Stout.

Rounding out our episode with a little grocery store rage, torture, and some other kinks and fetishes we just can't mention here, is "Cold Cole Heart" by K. Webster. You'll find our Flying Dog: Raging Bitch beer pairs perfectly with a few of the characters mentioned therein.

Happy to see us, or is that just a book in your pocket? For the time being, Lit & Liquor is back to weekly episodes through the summer! Hey, we gotta make this quarantine drinking feel like it's accomplishing something!

Behold a momentous day in L&L history: we knew when a fruit was in season...and we actually managed to get it and use it in our drink. Dragonfruit, this time, we win.

Anyways.

This week we're back into (and I quote), "some weird ass alien shit" with "Dawn" by Octavia Butler. Over an In Case of Alien Invasion cocktail, we discuss some interesting morality questions, survival of the fittest, and as was already hinted, just some really weird alien sex things.

Moving on to bloodier and more intense but definitely more interesting things, our second book was a debut novel, "Rage of Dragons" by Evan Winter. This book earned a rare average rating of four shots and was enjoyed by everyone around the table. Our discussion lasted so long, you'll probably want to make the Dragonfruit Mimosa a double or triple.

You really thought we'd let quarantine pass us by without discussing how it's just an excuse for us all to drink? Join us for all kinds of Corona madness--the beer, the seltzer, the refresca, the mixed drink, and of course the virus--in a special liquor-only episode.

As is so often the case for Lit & Liquor, this week we drunkenly stumbled into a new and popular genre: Brazilian crime novels. Who knew?

From a list of the top thrillers in this category, we chose "Blood of the Wicked" by Leighton Gage, and spoiler alerts: there was a lot of blood, and there was a lot of wickedness. Join us in the thrilling world of Brazil, corrupt cops, street gangs and, of course, excellent rum.

It must be said, as hinted in our title, that we owe the rum world an apology. For one, we finally learned how to pronounce the word 'cachaça' and our initial efforts were, well... Let's just move on from that dark time. Secondly, given Ashley and Kassandra's love of the drink called a caipirinha and the knowledge it contains the (previously thought to be) ghastly cachaça rum, they went on a quest to find the best cachaça rum for a caipirinha and see if it lived up to their memory.

We're very happy to report that Leblon Cachaça is worlds different from the motor oil packaged as alcohol from our Bamboo Bullshit episode, and the difference has to be tasted to be believed. Cachaça is also one of Brazil's most popular spirits, leading to a most excellent companion for this book.

Our first full book and liquor episode for season three dives right into current culture, since we never met a Netflix show we couldn't binge watch by justifying it's 'for the podcast, all for the podcast!' Not to mention, with a shirtless Henry Cavill for Ashley and Kassandra, and some great fantasy for Sam, there was happiness all around the drinking table this week.

Our book was "The Last Wish" by Andrzej Sapkowski, a collection of short stories from which the Netflix tv show "The Witcher" is based. While the concepts and world in the book made for interesting reading, the show won as our favorite by a wide margin. And not at all because of the beautiful and often nude members of both sexes there within... Lit & Liquor is nothing but class, folks. And while our Cat Potion cocktail does not, in fact, offer any illumination into the confusing timeline of the show, it's still damn delicious.

Don't worry y'all, CoronaVirus hasn't got us yet! We were just unable to talk due to our mouths being stuffed with quarantine snacks. In these uncertain times, we all need a laugh, so look no further than our somewhat-New Orleans themed kick off to the start of Lit & Liquor's third season! Our anniversary is technically in February, so we would consider ourselves only fashionably late to the upload. If you're new to the listening, welcome! If you've been with us since the beginning... well, you probably know way too much about us so we won't sit here and make any threats.

Dig through those cupboards for the last crumbs of those quarantine snacks and grab the beer from the back of the fridge you never thought you'd finish off, and cheers to season 3!

It's completely unclear to us why we continue to do these blind tastings, especially when escalating to tequila as we did this week, but just assume all the cocktails and bad trashy romances have finally rotted out our brains, just like Mom always warned.

This tasting went just about exactly as you might imagine in your mind, but at least we got some cool information on the background of tequila and margaritas. To decide what tequilas made the cut this time around, we went with silver tequila and by price range, starting with a $10 tequila and going up to $50+. Our contenders were Casa Dragones, Avion Silver, El Mayor Blanco, El Tesoro, and Coa De Jima.

Will the most expensive again rank last place? Will Sam FINALLY win a liquor tasting badge, or even just get ONE guess right? Will Kassandra make it through this without vomiting? Will Ashley give another tequila-fueled rendition of "Strawberry Wine" like on Cinco de Mayo?

Only listening will get you the truth.

This is our last episode of Season 2, which only took two years instead of one... Sorry for the ghosting again, guys. Next episode we'll be doing a Season 3 Kick-Off special with some New Orleans inspired drinks!

We always seek to educate and better ourselves at Lit & Liquor, and we like to think all our listeners reap the benefits of our investigations, trials, errors, and the occasional success.

This week, you can tune in and discover some rather fascinating information, like that Gypsies used it be called Egyptians because no one knew anything back in the day about anything, that impersonating said Egyptian AKA Gypsy was illegal and you could be transported to Australia for daring to do so, and that Edmund Kemper killed his grandparents when he was just 15 years old.

Whoops, sorry about that dark turn, but we felt it was best to dive right in. This week instead of a book per se, we found an interesting article about notorious serial killer Edmund Kemper and his work narrating audiobooks for The Blind Project. Naturally, we had to investigate. Combining the article with two episodes of The Serial Killer Podcast (which we highly recommend), a few episode of the Netflix show Mind Hunter in which Kemper is interviewed, and to cap it all off, we of course went down some deep dark Wikipedia, Reddit, Youtube, and other nefarious inter web black holes in our quest to bring you the best, if not most reliable, information on these and other topics. Grab a bottle of the appropriately named 19 Crimes Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon and maybe a friend for this disturbing episode and enjoy!

Next episode, join us as we do another blind tasting, this time with Tequila and, you guessed it, regretted all the things!

It's inevitable that just about every show or celebrity or author becomes a sell out at some point. We're sorry to say we reached that point. We betrayed you, listeners. Deeply but hopefully not irrevocably.

That's right. We went digital this week. 100% digital.

But if you can move past that, read and listen on! On deck--or should we say on screen--this week are two different apps, Galatea and Webtoonz. While these are fundamentally different apps with very different story content, they both offer a different type of reading experience than a typical book. We had to satisfy our curiosity and also be able to say, "we did that before it was cool" just in case the whole thing explodes in the future. Our know it all status is very important to us.

On Galatea, an immersive reading app with sound and visual effects, we read "The Millennium Wolves". We don't want to say the 'werewolf porn' was an appropriate title or anything, but there were a few chapters rated three red peppers and, well, we can't just give it all away right here in the bio. This was paired with a beautiful if name-out-of-date Hocus Pocus Witches Brew.

Webtoonz, an online comic/manga app, led us to "Purple Hyacinth", whose bloody badassery was a shock after the soft touch of our werewolves but paired well with our Bloody Old Fashioned*.

*real blood is optional. No one was harmed in the making of this podcast.

We tried to have a nice, classy, literary Christmas episode, we really did. We thought we did everything right, choosing a nice holiday book like "The Hogfather" by Terry Pratchet, and each bringing a Christmas cocktail of our own choosing: Kassandra's Cranpeary Martini, Ashley's Fauxloma, and Sam's Hogswatch Night Cocktail.

But the key words here should have been "each brought a cocktail of our choosing". With three cocktails in our hands, all it took was Ashley and Kassandra bringing up gas station bathrooms and things just went down the pipes from there. However, if you're in the market for a guide to gas station bathrooms and how to choose the best ones, you'll find this episode to be remarkably helpful.

To hear this and other topics that are vaguely related to Christmas or not at all, listen on!

A very merry Christmas and warmest holiday greetings from us here at Lit & Liquor headquarters!

If you've been waiting on pins and needles for a great suggestion for a great new naughty boss romance since our last romance novel face off....sorry, but you'll have to wait even longer.

Oops, did we say that out loud?

Our wants for this week ended up being a challenge, as it turns out badass female Asian ninja warrior books are a rare niche. Not to mention finding a female billionaire boss romance to pair with it. But like always, L&L found a way to persevere, mostly thanks to our cocktails.

Our Lotus Blossom cocktail made a nice pairing for "Butterfly Swords" by Jeannie Lin. In a surprising twist (or maybe not so surprising if you know Kassandra and Ashley's viewpoints on romance novels) our biggest complaint was how dare she go fade to black on us.

On the other side of the ring, with terrible odds coming out of the betting pools, is "Sweet Surrendering" by Chelsea M. Cameron. If you were disappointed in lack of kinky office sex in our last bad boss pick, you'll get your fill on this book. Again. And again. And again. And... well, we think you're getting the idea. And if you lost money in the aforementioned betting pool, our Sweet, Sweet Surrendering cocktail will at least help to ease the pain.

After a good (omen) time last episode, this week we venture to a darker side by delving into World War II, exploring all things in bombings, mutti's in suitcases, and marital affairs. First up is "The Aftermath" by Rhidian Brook, which explores the British occupation of Hamburg--which was nearly razed to the ground in one weekend of bombings--directly after the end of WWII.

If the title sounds a little familiar, you may be thinking of the 2019 movie by the same name which of course, we watched to review and contrast. In both cases, we sort of wished the Tom Collins cocktail we drank along with it had been a double. Or a triple.

Rounding out the episode is a nonfiction collection of essays and lectures by WG Sebald entitled, "On The Natural History of Destruction". This was paired with a nice German Reisling, but unfortunately, nothing can soften the blow of the true horror stories from this war.

With all these cheerful stories in mind, the team here at Lit & Liquor wishes you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

It's a duel of the crackers, and Cheez Its won the prize, thanks to their ally, wine. Only to ultimately lose when Lit & Liquor devoured them.

Today we explored the unconventional pairing of Cheez Its and wine. Per Cheez Its website, there are certain types of flavors that pair better with certain wines, and for your sake, we took on this challenge without hesitation...as we always do when wine is involved.

We also welcome back one of our guest stars, Momma Kush, who also bravely takes on any wine-related challenge. To go with our unconventional food and wine pairing, we read a book with an unconventional character pairing, "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman. To spice things up even further, we watched the 2019 television show by the same name.

This week, we're pleased to report favorable results all the way around.

We're like a dog with a bone about Stephen King, especially with it comes to 'It', so here's the review you probably weren't even waiting for! Our thoughts on the movie It: Chapter 2. We talk all things first movie, new movie, oldest movie from the 1990's, the book, casting, and just about everything else you can think of. If you're looking for a seasonal cocktail to enjoy with this, we can't say we recommend our Rosemary Cinnamon Old Fashioned, but if you're one of those insane fans of Fireball Whiskey, drink on and enjoy!

Lit & Liquor is no stranger to three things: poorly written literature (see: every other episode), alcohol that tastes more like motor oil (see: Bamboo Bullshit or Gin for the Win), and high emotions (see: every episode we've ever made). However, we don't know that the emotion of disappointment has ever run so high and strong as this week when we read "Bloody Rose" by Nicholas Eames. His debut novel, "Kings of the Wylde", was our top-rated book ever and is frequently brought up in later podcasts, as dutiful listeners can well attest. "Bloody Rose", on the other hand, stole something precious from us: approximately 8-16 hours of our life that we will never, EVER get back. Listen on if you dare, and we hope you have a wine as good as our Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon in which to drown yourself--er, your disappointment. (A special thank you to Amazon reviewer EOD Phil for our episode title)

Lit & Liquor's triumphant return with the first of our brand new episodes is somewhat diminished by book quality this week, but don't worry, we pull through the good and the bad like always. Mostly with the aid of, you guessed it, extra liquor. Pulling us through the rough patches this week is a Dowager Empress, a drink of Kassandra's creation featuring our Liquor of the Week, Empress 1908 Gin. This delicious drink was paired with two books that were decidedly less pleasant on the palate: "We Hunt the Flame" by Hafsah Faizal, and "A Memory Called Empire" by Arkady Martine. It is in these books which we learned that you totally can have brain surgery in a black market alley and go on to save the world a mere 11 hours later, or make a dark ninja assassin hero too angsty for even Kassandra and Ashley to enjoy--a feat they would have said was completely impossible. As sadly happens so often on L&L...we were proved wrong. Welcome back to our brand new and current bi-weekly episodes, folks. We've missed you all.

Bamboo Bullshit 09.17 by Lit & Liquor

We're nothing if not about equality here at Lit & Liquor Inc. (sponsor us, someone, anyone) and so if we previously did a challenge of which guy-hero would you rather have at your back, we couldn't rest until we'd done girl-hero too. We kick things off with "Deja Dead" by Kathy Reichs, the hit debut novel off of which the TV show "Bones" is based. Sam has come up with the appropriate and delicious but not-so-deliciously-named Embalming Fluid cocktail to go with this. Meeting Temperance Brennan in the ring of this challenge is Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's "Ten Big Ones". Fueled by a Wedding Cake Martini, she's not going down without a fight. Who will win? You can only listen to find out.

We all like to like books, but this week Lit & Liquor turned everything on its ear by finding three "anti-heroes" and seeing if we thought the title was appropriate (spoiler alert: it was). The first is a series of three short stories from "Night Winds" about Karl Edward Wagner's Kane, paired with a Blood Orange and Bourbon cocktail (second spoiler: the 'blood' part is very appropriate). Second, paired with the new-at-the-time-of-recording-but-not-anymore-but-still-good Angry Orchard Rosè, is "The Elric Saga" by Michael Moorcock. Last but perhaps not least (spoiler alert: totally the least) was "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever; Lord Foul's Bane" . perhaps the only redeemable quality of this book is that it birthed our story of dear Dildo Baggins, but that's just our opinion.

Is it tea? Or is it just leftover broccoli water? Make some Butterfly Peaflower Tea, and you too can be left stumped by these questions and more. It's the main ingredient for our aptly named drink, The Beaudelaire, made in honor of Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events", which we read and then watched the Netflix show, plus the 2004 movie. It was a comparison smorgasbord over here, but we rose to the challenge both tipsily and honorably, as always.

Welcome back! We're sorry we ghosted you like that for a year and half, but hopefully you're as desperate as most girls on Tinder and will take us back with no questions asked and rules you don't mean. We have a few episodes that have gotten better with age, like a fine wine or Betty White. The first is a book to movie comparison, "Red Sparrow" by Jason Matthews. And if you're still salty about our absence and this terrible apology, we guarantee our Cold Sparrow drink won't warm you to us one bit. PSA: For in-depth hangover stories from the L&L crew, listen as usual. For actual discussion about the book and literature, skip to 22:56. Do svidaniya!

We're back, bitches. Miss us? Look for new episodes every other Tuesday, because the Lit train is rolling and we're all sitting at the bar in the dining car. We hope you'll hop back aboard as well, or maybe for the first time.

We’ve made many mistakes here at Lit & Liquor, some with liquor, and some with literature. We like to think you’re all out there learning from our humble mistakes, and if there’s one takeaway we’ve learned repeatedly over the last year, it’s this vital piece of information: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EVER STIR YOUR DRINKS. Glad we got that out of the way, y’all. On to the good stuff: shots and books. We reach back to last October, when Ashley and Kassandra went to a small press and self-published book fair in Little Rock and picked up three gems to compare and contrast. Up first is Ashley’s pick, “Least Likely to Marry a Millionaire” by Cheryl Harper. She’s paired it with a Glamour Shot that looks like a millionaire bucks, making this a match made in heaven. Kassandra provides a solid middle choice with “Taking Flight” by Colleen Young. What could more appropriate than a Vodka Speculoos AKA a Biscoff cookie shot? Bringing us up with a strong finish is Sam with “Assassins of History: Transference” by Vernon Dutton. This is paired with an Alien Brain Hemorrhage Shot that you SHOULD NOT I repeat DO NOT EVER stir before you drink. You’ve been warned. Lean back, don’t stir your drinks, and enjoy!

A tragic tale of goat cheese olives, outlaws, and office blow jobs. We return with our latest and greatest Romance Novel Face Off: Billionaire Boss vs. Angsty Outlaw. This week Max King meets Lee Raven in the ring with a few drinks on the side and a special edition 'Dramatic Reading by Sam Howard'. "King of Wall Street" by Louise Bay has decent odds on it's side, backed up by a strong Maple New York Sour. In the other corner is "The Outlaw and the Lady" by Lorraine Heath, coached and cheered on by Melissa's Bloody Mary. Who will come out on top and move on to the next round? You'll have to listen to find out.

February 2018 marks the one-year anniversary of Lit & Liquor—how time passes in a literary-and-alcohol-infused haze! Join our crew tonight as we each pick one of our favorite drinks from the past year and recap our best—and worst—moments of recording. Get behind the scenes information, hear some of our not-so-flattering sound tests, and be sure to drop us a review on this momentous occasion!

Who will take home the newly christened "Gin Badge"? Tune in and suffer alongside us during Lit & Liquor's second tasting event to find out! This week, we do the hard work so you don't have to in our Gin Tasting, featuring Rocktown Brandon's Gin (American Style), Hayman's Old Tom Gin (Old Tom Style), Bombay Sapphire Gin (London Dry Style), Bols Genever (Genever Style), and Plymouth Gin (you guessed it, Plymouth Style). If you want to feel pompous and educated the next time you drink gin with your friends...we really suggest finding some other liquor podcast. If you want a whole lot of laughs and maybe a smidge of useful information, definitely tune on in!

Because we just can’t get enough of the King family, we decided to go on to the next generation with Joe Hill, AKA Joe King, and his collection of short stories, “20th Century Ghosts”. Opinions were a mixed bag, as were the variety of stories, but the cocktails were a unanimous five shots all around. What could be more appropriate than a Ghost Martini or a Moonlight Cocktail? Join us ‘round the Lit & Liquor fireplace tonight for some good old fashioned—and some not so old fashioned—ghost stories. Next week join us for another venture in the romance novel boxing ring, where our new hero champion trop, The Outlaw, takes on The Billionaire Boss!

Demagorgon versus Pennywise. The Upside Down versus the weird existential turtle universe thing. Stranger Things versus It. But when one is so clearly paying tribute to the other, is it really a competition? Join the debate to find out our thoughts as we discuss all things Stranger Things, It, the completely underrated death of Mews the Cat, and drink some Riesling in his honor. Caution: if you don't know the Farrah Fawcett hairspray password, you may not be let in.

...Gun. Obviously, we were asking, who has the biggest gun? Tune in to our action-adventure week and find out! This week, we compare to legendary literature heroes, Bob Lee Swagger from Stephen Hunter's "Point of Impact" (now both a movie and a tv show by the name of "Shooter") and Travis McGee from "Pale Gray for Guilt" by John D. McDonald. The debate? Which badass would you rather have covering your own ass? If you can't decide based off books alone, maybe our cocktails will help to make a decision. Although after our 'The McGee' and Sam's three 'Shooter' shots, you may not even remember what the question was.

Lit & Liquor does things our usual style this week, going from zero to sixty with talk of Disney movies and then straight to Sultry Dwarf and hot sex in a bathtub. We even throw in a little conversation so you don't feel too used afterward. First we'll warm you up with our drink, a delicious Alsatian, thanks to Heights Pizzeria in Little Rock. Then we do our best book-to-movie comparison yet, taking three classic Disney movies--Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid--and contrasting them with their original tales from the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Andersen. Can an erotic dance be thoughtful? Is bath tub sex possible? Was Sultry Dwarf Disney's biggest missed opportunity? Tonight, you decide.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight! Lit & Liquor comes together to wish you a boozy holiday season (how else will you survive the in-laws?) and as always, to fall on the sword and read the terrible books so you don't have to! First up is a one of a kind Nutcracker re-telling, "Hiddensee" by Gregory Maguire. You'll have to listen to find out our full opinion, but let's just say we're glad our Christmas Sangria went down smooth and fast to help block out the memory of this book. Far more agreeable to our tastes was "Santa Jaws Saves Christmas" by Taylor Dugan and Amy McBryde. This animated children's story is about Santa Jaws and Sharkeypants, sure to delight young and old with puns, illustrations, and a truly fantastic bonus audiobook. Adults, pour yourself a Christmas Mimosa, get some plain OJ for the kids, and settle in for an amusing holiday story.

Mother of Dragons... or the Mother of Booze? Tonight we find out! We pay homage to all liquors with Mother Booze, a collection of re-imagined nursery rhymes for the adults by Allison Tyra. For our main event, we bring you "The Alchemists of Loom" by Elise Kova. This spellbinding tale weaves (see what we did there?) together Chimera's, Dragon's, black market organ trade, and magic. We wove together a Dragonfruit Mojito, along with a Blue Achemist. How does it all fit together? You'll have to listen in order to find out!

Sparks fly and keyboards clash this week as we delve once again into the world of fan fiction and discover violently opposing points of view from our group. Choose pro, con, or Switzerland on the matter, but be sure to wet your whistle before you begin arguing. This weeks dose of liquid courage comes in the form of a Tart Green Apple Martini, Harry Potter Wallbanger, or a Rum Chata World Cup. Keep one hand free to hold onto your broom stick and fly on in!

Sparks fly and keyboards clash this week as we delve once again into the world of fan fiction and discover violently opposing points of view from our group. Choose pro, con, or Switzerland on the matter, but be sure to wet your whistle before you begin arguing. This weeks dose of liquid courage comes in the form of a Tart Green Apple Martini, Harry Potter Wallbanger, or a Rum Chata World Cup. Keep one hand free to hold onto your broom stick and fly on in!

Come all ye famers and ye grain planters, come and sniff the vodka! Join us as Lit & Liquor breaks new ground this week with blind vodka tasting, pitting our senses against one another. But when there's so much vodka to be had, are there really any losers or winners? (Yes, there are winners. Her name is Kassandra ;]) On our lineup tonight are five vodka's from five different countries: Rock Town (America), Wolfschmidt (Lativa), Belvedere (Polish), Finlandia (Finland), and a Polish potato vodka, Luksusowa. Pull up a chair, take a good sniff, and don't forget a pen for notes on the level of throat burn! Join us next week for the final-final chapter of our Harry Potter saga, where we each read a fan fiction piece featuring our dream Harry Potter couples, as well as the book "Carry On" by Rainbow Rowell.

WARNING: Downton Abbey spoilers ahead. What does that have to do with Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express"? We have no idea, but Lit & Liquor still went there. This week we talk mustaches, Dan Stevens' sexy French accent, and all things Hercule Poirot. Grab a hot Avalanche cocktail for the 2010 BBC TV series with David Suchet and then chase it with a Sparkling Cyanide for the new 2017 version with Kenneth Branagh. Warm or cold, one of these is sure to tickle your fancy and get you thinking for our in-depth and completely intellectual discussion.

Don your boxing gloves and jump into the ring--or just grab a Kernel of Truth cocktail--because it’s time for another romance novel face off. Our three time champion, a Native American hero, faces off this week with a brawny pirate. Or maybe not so brawny. You’ll have to listen to find out our thoughts on the matter as we pit Cynthia Wright’s “Silver Storm” against “Walk Into the Night” by Beverly Bird. No matter who you’re rooting for, our Pineapple Mint Mojito will fortify you against a win or a loss. Find all our book pictures, drinks, and recipes on LitandLiquor.com! Next week tune in for our book-to-movie-comparison of "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie!

Psycho killers abound in this week's Halloween episode--so be sure to check over your shoulder. No murderers? Good. Grab yourself a Bitch's Brew cocktail and sit with your back to the wall for our first book, "Gone Girl", by Gillian Flynn. We talk book and movie with our latest guest star, Momma Kush, before moving on to "The Kind Worth Killing" by Peter Swanson. Both feature unreliable narrators and crazy female killers, and we can promise our Gin Martini won't clarify the plot at all. Don't worry--the goal is just to make it out alive, not sober!

Pirates. Scottish Pirates? Irish Pirates? Leprechaun Pirates? In this week's episode, you dissect our (terrible) accents and decide! Over a beverage of the liquor variety, of course. We crack open our first anthology, "Shiver Me Timbers," by a variety of independently published authors. The ratings are all over the place for the eight stories we discuss, but our Arghh Matey Mojito, Vanilla Dark and Stormy, and Bushwacker cocktails are easily five-shot ratings all around.

Tonight we close the hallowed chapter (see what I did there?) on Harry Potter with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"--at least until our Harry Potter fan fiction episode, where we can all read our preferred couple ships. Until then, however, make do with today's episode comparing the book to movie and the closing of Harry Potter's tale. If you need some emotional support to get you through this, look no further than our Bourbon Butterbeer cocktail. Or, if you need something stronger or just want to live on the edge, try our original cosmopolitan variation, The Dark Lord. Tears will be shed, final romance couples hotly debated, and a thrilling series will come to end for Lit & Liquor. Find all our drink recipes and pictures on our website, LitandLiquor.com and join us next week for a pirate anthology episode--you don't want to miss our attempts at pirate accents, matey!

Join us as Kassandra plays Georgie Denbrough's death dirge--just to get you in the mood for his death within the first 16 pages of our book-- and we venture into unknown territory for at least one of our trio. Perhaps you've heard of It--by which we mean "It" by Stephen King. We travel to Derry (if you're smart, you'll skip right over and wait for next week because you know the perils of this small town) to investigate both this 1986 book, the mini-series in 1990, and the 2017 movie. If death makes you anxious, we have Apothic Inferno wine or, if you need something stronger, a Bloody Old Fashioned to get you through the night. Recording. Whatever tickles your fancy. Join us for childhood nostalgia, clowns, and as always, some good old fashioned (excuse the pun) liquor tonight as we explore the world of the exalted Stephen King!

In our penultimate Potter book, emotions run high; luckily, the liquor was there to save the day and keep us all calm. In an homage to the title, Sam presents a Half Blood Daiquiri--beware the jumping pineapples as garnish--as well as his thoughts on the saga thus far. Our second drink, the Felix Felicis, sadly didn't bring any winning lottery tickets, but still tasted lucky indeed. Grab your own drink and gather round as we close in on the end of Harry's tale.

Rump Shaking. The Terrors of a Haunted Funhouse Mirror Maze. Groping by a Ten Year Old Boy. Classic Films, Classic Literature—Bashed. Songs That Make You Sob. We cover a lot of bases in our first liquor-only episode in several months, so whether you favor the Grapefruit Martini, Peppermint Espresso Martini, or Strawmelon-Kiwi Surprise while listening, you’re sure to be entertained.

BOOK DOWN! This week, find out who committed the sin of dropping a book and very nearing destroying it (no drama here, we assure you!) while we discuss the books of Janet B. Taylor, a local Arkansas author. Her books focus on Hope Walton, a time traveling teenager with an eidetic memory. "Into the Dim" features a trip to the grimy and grim London of 1155, filled with Henry the II's courtly political intrigue--though sadly not our delicious Earl Grey Fizz cocktail. It's sequel, "Sparks of Light", centers on the journey through 1890's Manhattan, parts of which are equally unclean but an accompanying drink, a Svedka of Light martini, that is no less delicious. Join us in a race of rescue, magic stones, and a collection of highly recognizable historical icons all without leaving your own home. Find all our recipes, pictures, and blog posts at Lit & Liquor.com, and join us next week for the next round of Harry Potter, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"!

It's Lit & Liquor, back at it again with the white...hillbilly accents. Join us in Ancient Rome this week, and whether you arrive via the Martial Empire or spaceship, you'll still fit right in. Sabaa Tahir's "An Ember in the Ashes" is up first, exploring the horrors of war and young (but totally hunky) soldiers in a thrilling adventure tale. We've paired it with an original drink by the same name, using our Liquor of the Week, Bayou Satsuma Rum. Second on the agenda is the critically acclaimed (by us, anyway) sci-fi novel "Killer" by David Drake and Karl Edward Wagner. In a bizarre pairing, we see alien forces clash with the gladiators of Ancient Rome, all while enjoying some Killer Sangria like the civilized book club we truly are. Join us next week for our next Harry Potter installment, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and find all our recipes and pictures at litandliquor.com

We all have a little pyromania inside ourselves, and this week we got to unleash ours, because how do you read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire without making a Goblet of Fire cocktail?! Sadly, we didn’t record the experience for your listening pleasure, but the visual results are still fantastic. We had our second drink, a healthy Gillywater Cocktail, close at hand for dousing flames just in case. Hop on your broom or grab a Portkey and here we go to the Quidditch World Cup! Find all our drink recipes and pictures on litandliquor.com, Pinterest, and our Instagram, and don't forget to join us next week for a trip through time to ancient Rome--or something close to it, with "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir and "Killer" by David Drake & Karl Edward Wagner!

Just when you thought you had Lit & Liquor pinned down, we throw another curveball at you--welcome Brandi, our latest guest star! This week we delve into several universes, beginning with a character known around the world: Sherlock Holmes. We read his introductory work, "A Study in Scarlet," paired with Brandi's Scarlet Goblin drink. Next up is a crossover between HP Lovecraft and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle entitled "A Study in Emerald" by Neil Gaiman, an interesting yet confusing piece for those not familiar with all the work. Unfortunately, our Emerald Elixir drink will probably not help clear the muddy waters. We round it out today with "Stardust", also by Neil Gaiman, and throw in a movie comparison just for fun. If you're still standing at this point, we'll congratulate you by passing over the pitcher of Starfruit Sangria. Hopefully you'll be sentient for the rest of our scintillating conversation. Next week join us for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! Find all drink pictures and recipes on litandliquor.com

BEWARE THE DEMENTORS! But bring on the chocolate, we say. In fact, chocolate would have been entirely preferable to our cocktail this week. To match Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, we chose a Red Moon Over Manhattan cocktail (for obvious reasons)--but we don’t recommend it. Unlike our book, of course! With scary dementors, a shady rat, and a serial killing convict on the loose, why wouldn’t you want to hop on this train back to Hogwarts? Check out litandliquor.com for drink pictures, recipes, and plenty more bookish content, and don't forget to join us next week for a Neil Gaiman spectacular!

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-DUM. Ba-DUM. BA-DUM BA-DUM-BA-DUM-BA-DUM SHARK! Just kidding, it’s just a Shark Bite cocktail coming to hit you hard (that’s what she said) while you struggle through the novel-version of “Jaws” by Peter Benchley—trust us, you’ll need it to make it through part two. By the time you get through the dinner party in Chapter 7, you’ll wish it was you getting eaten by the shark. For the movie version, go light on your Monkey Wrench so you can absorb the awesomeness of the nip slip at 1:15. It’s jawsome!! Join us as we quiz Michael on his shark knowledge and how he got so awesome. I mean, seriously, he is the best. Walk, not swim, to our podcast and enjoy! Next week join us for “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” and find all our drink recipes, pictures and the like on LitandLiquor.com.

Ding! Ding! Ding! It’s round two of our romance novel hero face off, back again this time with Indian versus Highlander. Will the fierce but surprisingly gentle nature of Hunter of the Wolf be a match for the hot blooded and passionate Morgan McDonald? Only listening to this podcast will clue you in to our vote for the winner of this battle of lust, seduction, and of course, true love. A Blue Moon Cocktail—a first foray into the mix of beer and spirits for Lit & Liquor—makes a great companion for Catherine Anderson’s “Comanche Moon.” Join us for the tasting notes on our Liquor of the Week, Highland Mist Whiskey, courtesy of a Reddit User since this questionable whiskey has no website with tasting notes of its own. Regardless, the taste is masked well in our drink for Teresa Madeiros’ “A Whisper of Roses,” a Whiskey Rose. Next week we're back at Hogwarts with "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." Find all our drink recipes, pictures, and other links of interest on litandliquor.com

We’re back for round two, year two of Harry Potter, once again hearing Sam’s opinion on experiencing the book and movie for the first time. Things turn heated with Fireball as our Liquor of the Week (and enjoy Sam coming up with an impressive jingle for the product), used in our Phoenix shot. If Big Red-flavored whisky isn’t up your alley, we also have a Whomping Willow Martini to tempt you—just watch out since like it’s namesake, it hits back. Grab a chip and some of Sam’s tomatillo dip and listen in. Next week join us for round two of our Romance Novel Face Off, Highland Lord vs. Native American, using Teresa Madeiros’ “A Whisper of Roses” and “Comanche Moon” by Catherine Anderson. Find all our drink recipes, pictures, and the like on litandliquor.com

Come one, come all to the epic throw down during our Indie Author week. In Lit & Liquor’s biggest upset thus far, Sam has the nerve to rate a gitchy romance higher than both Ashley and Kassandra. His reasons? Well, you’ll have to listen to find out. We highly suggest doing so with a Sonic Screwdriver or Lemondrop Martini in hand, or just go straight to the source and sip our Liquor of the Week, Skyy Blood Orange Vodka, straight from the bottle if you need something a little stronger. Our books this week feature “Entreat Me” by Grace Draven, an excellent Beauty and the Beast retelling if you need something more now that the movie hype has died down, and the hotly controversial book that sparked our disagreement over ratings, “#nerd” by Cambria Hebert. Next week join us for the continuation of our Harry Potter series with “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” ‘Nuff said.

It takes true talent to fit five-plus bad accents into an episode that doesn’t even leave American soil, but the Lit & Liquor crew rises admirably to the challenge. Weigh in on our first ever romance novel face off, pitting the classic cowboy rebel against the more spiritual but no less ferocious Indian (hereafter referred to as Native American because we’re politically correct like that). Jamison, our Liquor of the Week, is featured in our Cowboy Cocktail and paired with “Robbing Banks and Stealing Hearts” by Kathleen Rice Adams. On the other side of the ring is our first attempt at a ‘shrub cocktail’ with a Butternut Squash and Sage Shrub cocktail to go with Madeline Baker’s “The Spirit Path.” Who will win and make it to Romance Novel Face Off Round Two against the Highland Lord? Listen to find out! Next week join us for the continuation of our Harry Potter series with “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” ‘Nuff said.

Gryffindor. Hufflepuff. Slytherin. Ravenclaw. The names are iconic and the series already hailed as a classic. These days, it’s hard to believe anyone hasn’t read about the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter. Except there is a traitor hiding among the ranks of Lit & Liquor. Our very own Sam has never read nor seen any Harry Potter. Hold back your pitchforks and torches! Soothe your unsettled nerves with a Slytherin or The Dursley cocktail as Kassandra and Ashley swoop in on broomstick to save the day, gently leading Sam to the doors of Hogwarts and guiding him through the wonders within. Come along with us and re-live the magic as if for the very first time as we read and watch J.K Rowlings “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” (Or “Philosopher’s” if you’re hoity. As we frequently remind you, we are not.) Visit us at LitAndLiquor.com for recipes and pictures, and join us next week for a Cowboys Vs. Indians romance novel face off!

Swords clash and wizardry reigns supreme as we return to Sam's favorite genre of fantasy. "The Heroes" by Joe Abercrombie is our first foray into the world of "grimdark" fantasy, an intriguing combination of humor and cynicism. And what better to go with a book about a three day battle than a classic Bloody Mary? Two favorites make a return, Chima with "The Demon King" and limoncello in our Gin and Thyme cocktail. If these books don't delight, our tales of taking book pictures in an apartment parking lot with a sword, drinks, and dog is sure to do the trick. Join us next week as we dive into Harry Potter, which Sam has never read. As always, find us and extras on LitandLiquor.com and our drink recipes on our Lit & Liquor Pinterest page.

Those who don't write…criticize those who do. In our defense, we also give a few compliments this week too. Pull up a chair to Lit and Liquor’s first wine night, featuring Kim Crawford’s Sauvignon Blanc as our liquor of the week. Our challenge this week was to each pick one book we felt was famous but didn't deserve the hype, and one that actually deserves the spot. Our authors range from John Green to Cinda Williams Chima to Terry Brooks to Kiera Cass, spanning several genres of fiction and fantasy. Who ranked where? You’ll have to listen to find out. Next week join us as we do a second book to movie--Introducing Sam to the Harry Potter series for the first time! Visit us at www.litandliquor.com to find all our social media links and drink pictures or recipes!

Local breweries, local festivals. This week we kept it all in Arkansas, looking to Rock Town Distillery of Little Rock for the liquor to our lit. After hitting up the Author, Author! event of the annual Arkansas Literary Festival, held every April by the Arkansas Central Library, the L&L crew each chose a book by one of the attending authors, ranging from gothic paranormal to historical romance to nonfiction history. While not all the books were to our liking, the Rock Town bourbon and moonshine in our Ginger Snap and Lemonade Mint Julep gathered a five shot rating all around, and a Strawberry Gin Fizz made the perfect dessert drink to shut down this episode. Check out all our drink recipes on our Pinterest page, Lit & Liquor, and visit our Facebook, Instagram, or website for pictures of our drinks and books. Next week join us as we each pick two books that we feel are over— and underrated and discuss why all the hype!

This week we didn’t even bother with the lit and just focused on our liquor! Judge us if you must, but we each created a drink that we feel reflects our personality. The Samtastic is a layered, brightly colored cocktail, Kassandra made a Salted Caramel martini with a crushed pretzel rim (and featuring our Liquor of the Week, Smirnoff’s Kissed Caramel Vodka) and Ashley’s drink was a turquoise Key Lime Sunshine cocktail. You can draw your own conclusions of what they say about our true selves. Laugh hysterically along with us as we drink and discuss some strange “would you rather” questions and have some awkward moments—it’s Lit & Liquor, what else were you expecting?! Join us next week as we discuss over- and underrated books, and their reasons behind their success or lack of it. Check out our Lit & Liquor Pinterest page for all drink recipes!

We tried to be classy this week. It didn’t take. Our liquor of the week was Grey Goose vodka, used in a classic martini that was not to our taste—don’t let our profile picture fool you. However, our fun sugared rim matched the cover of “Survive the Night” by Danielle Vega perfectly, along with the vodka giving us the same gasping sensation experienced by the characters as they run, trapped, through the subway tunnels. Too claustrophobic? Jump into the roomier mega-box retailer of “The Store” as written by Bentley Little, and step right up to grab a drink. We’ve featured our own mix called The Night Manager, a spin on the classic White Russian. If none of these sound appealing, we have plenty of villainous creatures to take you somewhere a little more comfortable, like to drown in subway tunnels or get chopped to pieces in the basement temple. Cheers! Find all our drink recipes on our Lit & Liquor Pinterest page!

Hungry yet? Us too. Dish up a bowl of berry crumble from the cookbook Run Fast, Eat Slow—ice cream not optional, of course—and join us for a viewing of Lloyd Alexander’s The Black Cauldron. Have a second bowl—also not optional—while you read the book in order to join us for our first book-to-movie comparison. If delicious, warm, berry and granola aren’t your thing (you monster) how about a Munchings and Crunchings Apple shot or a Dead Budgie, featuring our liquor of the week, 99 Bananas. Not hungry or thirsty? We’ll take you anyway, because we just like people who listen to us talk. Find all our drink recipes on our Lit & Liquor Pinterest page and join us next week for Danielle Vega's "Survive the Night" and "The Store" by Bentley Little.

Arendelle. Persia. France. Burgess. So many places to visit this week…and so many drinks to drink! Abandoning the world of “classic” literature, the L&L team jumps feet first into fanfiction. Don’t worry, they didn’t abandon the angst—and what’s more angsty than the Phantom of the Opera? Take your pick of our two cocktails, the Ruby Rose or a Shimmering Cherry Martini—made with our liquor of the week, Tito’s Handmade Vodka—and discover just how angsty in “The Angel of Persia” by FantomPhan33. If you prefer a lighter tale, we have that too with “Frostbitten” by Arialene, a crossover involving Jack Frost and Elsa from Frozen. Feel that chill in the air? It’s probably from our Jack Frost Cocktail or Royal Blue, both of which are guaranteed not to warm you up a bit. A peek at next weeks agenda, you ask? We’ll be doing our first book-to-movie comparison with Lloyd Alexander’s The Black Cauldron. Read the book, watch the movie, and come thirsty! Find all our drink recipes on our Lit & Liquor Pinterest page and our liquor of the week, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, at titosvodka.com.

Hold tight to those martini glasses as we take a time machine to 1890’s Chicago via the pages of “Devil in the White City” by Eric Larson. Lost your glass on the way? No problem. We’ll pour you a Prescription Julep as we read about the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893—as well as the sinister acts of H.H. Holmes, falsely hailed as America’s First Serial Killer. And because we can’t get enough of murder and gore, we’ll force you to stick around for a Red Wine Gin Sour and a reading of the short story, “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper” by Robert Bloch. Looking to get a jump on next week? Check out fanfiction.net and search for “Angel of Persia” and “Frostbitten” to join us as Sam and Kassandra explore fanfiction for the first time! Find all our drink recipes on our Lit & Liquor Pinterest page!

After several weeks of let-downs, the L&L crew finally finds a pair of books in which to sink their teeth and not cringe at the aftertaste. Come on a journey to Tortall with "Alanna: The First Adventure" by Tamora Pierce in one hand and an Abita Purple Haze in the other. But hold on tight because our visit is brief before we fly off to Kristen Britain's land of Sacoridia, a place teeming with magic both good and bad, and of course the elusive group known as the Green Riders. And what better to go with this story than a Green Demon? Next week Ashley will be introducing Kassandra and Sam to fan fiction for the first time, join us for a Phantom of the Opera and Elsa/Jack Frost fan fiction night!

Join us for our first “challenge” episode! The criteria was to find a book set in the Wild West about revenge and involving a gun. Turns out, it wasn’t so challenging—apparently, the criteria for writing a book about the Wild West demands both revenge and guns in plenty. Regardless, muddle yourself a Blackberry Bramble to drink while reading Erin Bowman’s “Vengeance Road” or perhaps “Death Rides a Chestnut Mare”—and a Honey Peach Fizz—is more up your alley. Too boozy? Class it up with a glass of Dark Horse Sauvignon Blanc to pair with “Hombre” by Elmore Leonard. Next week join us for a fantasy episode featuring Alanna: The First Adventure and Green Rider by Tamora Pierce and Kristen Britain. Find all our drink recipes on our Lit & Liquor Pinterest page!

Enigmatic billionaire with a kinky red room or tortured vampire stuck in the midst of teenage woes? Grab a Red Room of Pain or Washington Apple and join us to debate. We all survived the hype around “Twilight” (Stephanie Meyer) and more recently, “50 Shades of Grey.” (E.L James) But lesser known are the claims that 50 Shades had its humble beginnings as a fanfiction of Twilight, causing Twi-Hards everywhere to cry in outrage at its success. Join us as we put Christian Grey against Edward Cullen, Isabella Swan versus Anastasia Steele, to explore any and all parallels between the two. In our next episode we present a new challenge: you must choose any book involving the following: a Wild West story involving revenge and a gun. Join us for a discussion of what we’ve found!

In an episode more liquor than lit, hear the story of how our threesome came to be and whole lot of other firsts, including but not limited to first book that got you into reading, first time drinking far too much, first friend, and a whole lot of other stories you may or may not have cared to know about us. If none of this sounds appealing, we have every confidence that our Almond Joy Martini, Meyer Lemon and Sage Sour, or Blackberry and Meyer Lemon Gin & Tonic will do the trick where our tales have failed. Next week, we explore the kinks, crimes, and horrors within “50 Shades of Grey” by E.L. James and “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer.

Come along for a night of culinary delight and Old South superstition as we travel to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. This week we discuss a disappointing book with a great title, “A Sheetcake Named Desire” by Jacklyn Brady, while drinking a decidedly un-disappointing NOLA classic, the Brandy Milk Punch. Then we mix up a potent vodka-based Witch’s Brew and delve into Anne Rice’s “The Witching Hour,” fascinated by also deeply disturbed by the story of the Mayfair witches. Cheers to keeping it all in the family! Next week get acquainted us a little more in a multiple-part Getting-To-Know-You episode. The following week we’ll explore the parallels of “50 Shades of Grey” and “Twilight.”

The circus arrives sometime after midnight—bringing with it a tempting combination of Godiva chocolate and red wine. This week we explore the ever-changing line between good and evil in two Circus-based books: Ray Bradbury’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes” and “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern. Over chocolate martinis and an Apothic Dark Red Blend, our trio discuss the call of the calliope, what is good without evil, and the struggles of eating hardened Godiva chocolate off a martini glass. Join us next week for a Mardi Gras/New Orleans episode, reading A Sheetcake Named Desire by Jacklyn Brady and The Witching Hour by Anne Rice.

Our debut episode, in which we take Sam's romance novel virginity, discussing Cathy Maxwell's "Temptation of a Proper Governess" and Danielle Steele's "Summer's End"--the first romance novels Ashley and Kassandra read at far too young an age. Drinks: Lover's Revenge shot and Pomegranate Sex on the Beach. Check out the Lit & Liquor Pinterest board for recipes! Join us next week for Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern!