Tipsy Nerds Book Club

In a special episode of Tipsy Nerds, Natalie welcomes co-host Robyn as her guest to discuss Robyn's new book, The Ascenditure (May 2024), a thrilling feminist mountain climbing fantasy story! Hear all about Robyn's new book, including what inspired her to create this fascinating world, badass mountain climbing characters, and more. Fans of TNBC don't want to miss this one! Join the...

The Nerds are dipping into an old-school hard sci-fi book—The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle, a 1957 classic of British sci-fi. When a giant cloud of interstellar matter races toward the center of our solar system, the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of an elite gathering of scientists. Join the Nerds in their discussion of this unusual sci-fi story, and hear a nerd trivia tidbit about the auth...

In this episode, the Nerds welcome guest author Richard Sparks to discuss his new book, New Rock, New Role, a fantasy book described as “Ready Player One meets Lord of the Rings meets Discworld.” After a long quest, you need a tasty cocktail, and Robyn has created one for this episode. Natalie was happy to see bourbon in this cocktail recipe that Robyn calls “New  Quest, New Quencher.” Fans of com...

In this episode, the Nerds discuss the beloved cult classic book (and movie), The Princess Bride (©1973 by William Goldman). Billed as a “classic tale of True Love and High Adventure,” the Nerds chat about romance, adventure, swashbuckling pirates, loveable sidekicks, and of course famous quotes—“I am Inigo Montoya…” Listeners, we want to hear your thoughts on this one! After you listen, pop over...

The Nerds welcome 2024 by reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess. Subtitled "Being a Romance with the Realms of Faerie," the Nerds are sipping a lovely, glittering gin drink while they discuss little hairy men, unicorns, flying pirate ships, falling stars, and a man who becomes a doormouse. By the end of the episode, the Nerds may have more questions than answers ab...

We’re drinking the Nog of Christmas Yet to Come with our guest, author R.A. Busby, while we discuss the winter holiday classic, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. R.A. is a horror writer, so her perspective perfectly fits this spooky, ghostly holiday tale. So fill your nog cug and join the conversation as we chat Dickens' forever-relevant holiday masterpiece. Join the conversation on Insta...

The Nerds are excited to welcome Hugo and Nebula award-winning writer Martha Wells, author of the beloved Murderbot Diaries and now a new epic fantasy—Witch King. We hope you enjoy hearing our conversation with Martha as we dive into Witch King.  Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsy...

We're sipping a San Diego Sunset while we explore the far reaches of space in this sci-fi episode with special guest, author Gareth L. Powell. Robyn and I have followed Gareth on social for a while now, so it was a real pleasure to chat with him about his latest book. And what a great read it is! Chock full of all the things we love about sci-fi—futuristic tech, relatable characters, explorat...

Welcome to Season 5 of the Tipsy Nerds Book Club! The Nerds are excited to open their new season with special guests, bestselling authors Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft, authors of the new sci-fi romance STAR BRINGER (2023). We're sipping purple space-inspired, purple cocktails and discussing the book described as Firefly meets the Breakfast Club.  Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook,...

The Nerds are happy to once again discuss Hugh Howey's amazing worldbuilding in this episode discussing SILO, the Apple TV+ production of Howey's bestselling book, WOOL. Listeners may recall that the Nerds had Hugh Howey as a guest on the show in episode 4 of season 1 in 2019.  What a fun episode that was! Lots of bourbon and tequila involved (and a Texas windstorm that left Robyn with n...

The Tispy Nerds close out their Season 4 by discussing a listener recommendation JOHN DIES AT THE END, by Jason Pargin. The Nerds are sipping strong cocktails called The Sauce in honor of the trippy drug that leads to the adventure in the book. Billed as a comedy/horror novel, Natalie asks Robyn if the book was funny or scary, or both? Mix a drink and join this discussion of a "Bill and Ted&a...

The Nerds welcome guest Jason Rico from the Sh*t We've Read podcast to help us wrap our minds around the modern masterpiece of sci-fi, The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. We're sipping boozy cocktails while we ponder the three-body problem, warfare in eleven dimensions, and whaleiens. A fun discussion about one of the most important and thought-provoking books the Nerds have ever featur...

Robyn Dabney pilots this episode as we celebrate the release of Season of the Dragon, a new epic fantasy from our own Natalie Wright. Robyn created an amazing cocktail she's calling the Nixan Fig to get us in the mood for this epic new dragon story. Listen to find out what Robyn thought of the book and to hear Natalie's inspiration for the story. Hika! Join the conversation on Instagram...

We poured a strong drink we're calling a Pyro Potable for this amazing but bleak book. Parable isn't a fun, light-hearted beachy read, but the kind of book that you feel like a better human being because you read it. We're peeling this onion and perhaps have more questions than answers in this episode—so listen in, then find us on social and help us out! What did you all think of th...

The Nerds are stepping into quantum conundrums with a bestselling sci-fi thriller, Dark Matter , by Blake Crouch. This 2016 book was optioned by Sony for the screen. Hear what the Tipsy Nerds and their guest, author CD Tavenor, thought of Crouch's treatment of the multiverse theory of quantum physics. The libations need to be strong to wrap our heads around this one, so pour yourself a strong...

The Nerds are sipping spiked hot cocoa and a drink inspired by the horror of The Utburd, a new story by our own Robyn Dabney, the first story in a new Gothic Horror anthology, Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night . Wrap yourself in a warm blanket, spike that coffee or cocoa with something to warm the cockles, and dive into a great new addition to midwinter reading lists. Join the conversation on Ins...

The Nerds invite you to the world of Dream as they discuss the graphic novel that put Gaiman on the map: The Sandman, first published by DC Comics in 1988. The Tipsy Nerds are sipping luscious, creamy cocktails, one with absinthe, the other with tequila. Shaken or stirred, mix it up and join the conversation about this enchanting story.  Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us k...

You all know Robyn is a LotR super fan, so of course, we've got to have a chat about Amazon Original's production of Rings of Power. What did the Nerds think of it? Does Robyn think the show does Tolkien proud? Natalie doesn't know a harfoot from a hippie, so what were her thoughts of the production? You have to stick around for the 35+ minute mark to hear what Natalie said about Je...

Welcome to Season 4 of TNBC! We begin the new season with a literary haunted house tale that's short but hits the sweet spot. Join Robyn and Natalie as they sip cocktails and dig deep into the layers of this seductive tale of lost souls. Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerd...

We’re back! In this trailer, the Nerds preview the books and shows they'll feature in the upcoming Season 4 of the Tipsy Nerds Book Club podcast.  Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

The Nerds are ready for a whimsical read, and who does modern fables, myth, and magic better than Neil Gaiman? Join the Nerds as they discuss Gaimain's first novel,  Neverwhere , released in 1996. Robyn has lots of questions for listeners in this episode, and is on the hunt for any information you have about a particular line in the book and how it may—or may not—relate to  Neuromancer , the...

Sipping drinks called Knight's Honor and Green Death, Robyn and Natalie discuss the 2021 release, Green Knight, starring Dev Patel. Unsure whether the movie is a mess or a masterpiece, the Tipsy Nerds break it down. Naked giants, a talking fox, and a "violated green sash"? The Nerds are tackling a movie unlike anything else in the fantasy film genre. Is it too big a detour from the...

This week the Nerds are excited to discuss a fascinating new epic fantasy story while they sip cocktails inspired by the book. Join the Nerds as they chat about  Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. Robyn says the novel has one of the best opening chapters she's ever read, and both Natalie and Robyn thought the last third of the book was unputdownable. Like so many authors and stories, though, thi...

Is Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, anyone’s favorite Avenger? Well he wasn’t the favorite for either Natalie or Robyn, but they may be changing their minds after watching the newest addition to the rich Marvel cinematic universe: Hawkeye, starring Jeremy Renner. Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagra...

In this episode, the Tipsy Nerds tackle the massive book,  Dune by Frank Herbert. Second time was the charm for Robyn who attempted a read of this tome a few years back but set it aside. This time she enjoyed the ride, and in this episode shares what she loved about  Dune . While Natalie appreciated the world-building and respects the book's legacy, she had some issues. Join the conversation...