Literature on the Rocks

Literature on the Rocks

Literature on the Rocks is your new favorite podcast where books, booze, and banter collide. Hosted by Sunny, Rachel, and Rox—three witty women who devour books like their toddlers devour snacks—we’re here to make reading as fun as happy hour. Whether you’re a working mom, a bookish millennial, or just someone who enjoys a good cocktail with an even better story, this show is for you. We dive deep into each book with two types of episodes: Summaries (start-to-finish breakdowns with no plot left behind) and Book Clubs (where we spill our opinions, read listener comments, and tackle thought-provoking prompts). And because every great book deserves a signature drink, we whip up a custom cocktail to match the vibe of each story. Rating books on our own buzzworthy scale—one shot (not coming back for more), two shots (good enough for another but not worth the hangover), or three shots (it got me f***d up)—we keep things honest, hilarious, and occasionally tipsy. Join us every episode for smart conversations, playful debates, and some boozy fun. Come for the books, stay for the drinks. Cheers!

Episodes

December 31, 2025 41 mins

It’s our 2025 Highlight Episode, and we’re popping the champagne, spilling the tea, and maybe reliving a few moments we said we wouldn’t talk about again.

This episode is our end-of-year toast to everything that made 2025 unforgettable—starting with our highest-rated reads, each of our personal favorite books of the year, and the cocktails that absolutely understood the assignment (plus one truly tragic drink that deserves an honor...

Mark as Played

You’ve already heard our deep dive into Hooked, but now we’re circling back— In this revisited book club episode, we’re digging into listener comments, revisiting our book prompt questions, and reassessing the biggest debate of all: is Hook a misunderstood antihero… or just a beautifully packaged red flag?

With a little distance (and a few more dark romances behind us), we’re talking revenge, redemption, and whether morally gray ch...

Mark as Played
December 17, 2025 84 mins

In this revisited episode of Literature on the Rocks, we’re cracking open Hooked by Emily McIntire once again—a morally gray, villain-forward reimagining of Peter Pan that lives rent-free in our heads. With a little distance (and a few more books under our belts), Sunny, Rachel, and Rox take a fresh look at James “Hook”: his obsession, his trauma, and whether his allure actually holds up on a second pour.

We’re rehashing the plot, ...

Mark as Played
December 10, 2025 26 mins

Pour yourself a Sleigh My Name cocktail — because this week on Literature on the Rocks, we’re heading back to Fraizer Falls for our book club episode of Holiday Ever After by Hannah Grace!

Sunny, Rachel, and Rox read your comments, answer the book prompts, and dive into all the listener hot takes. Expect warmth, chaos, holiday banter, and at least one moment where one of us nearly cries (it’s December, emotions are high). As always...

Mark as Played
December 3, 2025 72 mins

This week on Literature on the Rocks, we’re unwrapping Hannah Grace’s festive new holiday romance, Holiday Ever After — a sugary-sweet, small-town love story that had all three of us kicking our feet like we were in a Hallmark movie… but with way better spice.

We follow Clara, a big-city corporate queen who escapes to the charming snowy town of Fraizer Falls, where hot chocolate is basically a personality trait and flannel is manda...

Mark as Played
November 26, 2025 34 mins

This week on Literature on the Rocks, we’re back with Lisa Jewell’s wildly addictive thriller, None of This Is True — and trust us, the chaos hits even harder when the listeners weigh in.

Sunny, Rachel, and Rox dig into your theories, your suspicions, and your absolute refusal to trust anyone in this book (relatable). We talk about Josie’s unsettling confessions, Alix’s questionable decisions, and every red flag we somehow missed o...

Mark as Played
November 19, 2025 63 mins

This week on Literature on the Rocks, we’re diving headfirst into Lisa Jewell’s psychological thriller sensation, None of This Is True — a story so twisty it had all three of us yelling “WAIT… WHAT?!” into our cocktails.

When podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with her “birthday twin,” things go from quirky to deeply disturbing faster than you can say “unreliable narrator.” As Alix gets pulled into Josie Fair’s web of half-truths...

Mark as Played
November 12, 2025 35 mins

In this week’s Literature on the Rocks book club episode, Sunny, Rachel, and Rox return to Kristin Hannah’s emotional powerhouse, The Women — and this time, it’s all about reflection, resilience, and real talk.

We’re reading listener comments, answering your book prompts, and unpacking the themes that hit us hardest — from the hidden struggles of women veterans to the impossible expectations placed on mothers, daughters, and healer...

Mark as Played
November 5, 2025 75 mins

This week on Literature on the Rocks, we’re diving into Kristin Hannah’s powerful historical fiction masterpiece, The Women — a gut-punching story of courage, sisterhood, and survival during the Vietnam War.

Follow Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a young nurse who volunteers to serve in Vietnam, only to discover that the real battle begins when she comes home. Between the chaos of war and the silence that follows, Frankie’s journey shin...

Mark as Played
October 29, 2025 22 mins

The babysitting gig from hell continues! In this week’s Literature on the Rocks book club episode, Sunny, Rachel, and Rox revisit Jason Rekulak’s haunting thriller, Hidden Pictures — this time, unpacking all the fan theories, eerie clues, and moral questions that had our listeners buzzing.

We dive into what really happened in that picture-perfect neighborhood, debate whether Mallory’s choices were heroic or horrifying, and read you...

Mark as Played
October 22, 2025 74 mins

In this week’s episode of Literature on the Rocks, Sunny, Rachel, and Rox dive deep into Jason Rekulak’s chilling thriller, Hidden Pictures—a page-turner packed with creepy drawings, ghostly twists, and jaw-dropping reveals you’ll never see coming.

We break down the story from start to finish, sip on our hauntingly delicious cocktail inspired by the book, and rate it on our signature One Shot, Two Shots, or Three Shots scale. Wheth...

Mark as Played
October 15, 2025 37 mins

Things are getting weird in this week’s Literature on the Rocks book club! Sunny, Rachel, and Rox are back to unravel We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer — and trust us, this discussion gets as twisted as the house itself.

We’re diving into the big questions: Was Eve losing her mind, or was she in another reality? What’s the deal with the Faust family and that unsettling “Old House” theory? And seriously — how do you fix a haunt...

Mark as Played
October 8, 2025 67 mins

In this episode of Literature on the Rocks, Sunny, Rachel, and Rox are cracking open We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer — a psychological horror that’ll make you second-guess every creak in your house.

When a young couple opens their door to a family claiming to have once lived there, a simple act of kindness turns into a descent into madness. The line between memory and reality twists tighter than an over-shaken cocktail, and ...

Mark as Played
October 1, 2025 35 mins

The witches are back and so are we—this time for our Serpent & Dove book club! Sunny, Rachel, and Rox are stirring up conversations about power, rebellion, and what happens when fate ties two very unlikely people together. We’re mixing listener comments with our own hot takes, all while sipping on The Witch’s Pact, the cocktail that’s just as bold and intoxicating as Lou herself.

Grab your glass and join the coven—because when ...

Mark as Played
September 24, 2025 75 mins

Witches, hunters, and a marriage of convenience—oh my! In this Literature on the Rocks summary episode, Sunny, Rachel, and Rox crack open Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin and walk you through every spell, sword fight, and swoony moment from start to finish. We dive deep into Lou’s sharp wit, Reed’s stubborn honor, and the fiery clash of love and loyalty that makes this enemies-to-lovers story such a magical ride.

Of course, no ...

Mark as Played
September 17, 2025 29 mins

The lies are stacking up, the truths are unraveling, and we’re back with our First Lie Wins book club episode! Sunny, Rachel, and Rox dive into your responses to our prompts about Ashley Elston’s twisty thriller. We’re unpacking all the secrets, betrayals, and identity games that had us questioning everyone—and yes, debating whether we could ever pull off a con ourselves (spoiler: probably not).

Grab your Sweet Alibi cocktail, pres...

Mark as Played
September 10, 2025 65 mins

Sunny, Rachel, and Rox are back with a twisty ride through First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston! In this summary episode, we unravel Evie Porter’s double life, secrets stacked on secrets, and the lies that keep her one step ahead—or so she thinks. From jaw-dropping reveals to characters you’ll love to hate, we’re breaking it all down chapter by chapter with plenty of banter and a cocktail in hand.

Was Evie a master manipulator or just t...

Mark as Played
September 3, 2025 24 mins

It’s book club time, and Sunny, Rachel, and Rox are raising their glasses to Amber V. Nicole’s The Book of Azrael! 🍸 In this episode, we dive into your responses to some seriously thought-provoking questions. Liam insists Diana isn’t evil—but can someone commit violent acts and still be good at their core? Is morality about actions, intentions, or the messy mix in between? And of course, we couldn’t skip the most fun question of t...

Mark as Played
August 27, 2025 64 mins

In this summary episode of Literature on the Rocks, we dive into The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole—a dark fantasy romance full of ancient prophecies, enemies-to-lovers sparks, and a world on the brink of destruction. From slow-burn tension to morally gray characters who blur the line between hero and villain, we unpack every twist and turn of this gothic adventure. Of course, no apocalyptic love story is complete without a drin...

Mark as Played
August 20, 2025 31 mins

It’s book club time, and we’re diving into Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez! From fake dating to heartfelt letters, this rom-com had us swooning, laughing, and maybe shedding a tear or two. We break down our book prompts, read listener responses, and chat about how this story made us feel about love, friendship, and second chances.

But wait—there’s more! We also play a round of our favorite game, Slip It In, where we each try to sneak i...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Burden

    The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.

    SmartLess

    "SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.