Book Club with Julia and Victoria

Content warning: this episode includes discussions of suicide and homophobia.Julia and Victoria reminisce about their 20s comparing the novel Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park, translated by Anton Hur, and its recent TV adaptation. It involves a lot of pointing out red flags and crying about friendship. Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Mentioned in this episode:Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park (book)117 Beyond the Story by BTS & Kang Myeong-seok — A Memoir or an Official Wiki? Love in the Big City (TV show)Love in the Big City (film)The Tears of an Unknown Artist, or Zaytun Pasta by Sang Young ParkBoys Love Boys Love (podcast)Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, English translation by Anton HurAnton Hur interview with Booker International PrizeTrue to You: A Therapist's Guide to Stop Pleasing Others and Start Being Yourself by Dr. Kathleen SmithFilm Club with Julia & Victoria127 The Pairing by Casey McQuiston — Who Is the Elf? V&O: Sea Change by Gina Chung — Loneliness & Adaptation Recommendations:On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean VuongTo My Star 2 (film)The Wedding Banquet (2025 film)Funny Girl by Nick HornbyMarriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ SinduSea Change by Gina ChungOne Last Stop by Casey McQuistonCurrently Obsessed:Taskmaster (season 19)The Last of Us (season 2)Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirSlow Horses by Mick HerronSlow Horses (TV show)Green Frog by Gina ChungLas Culturistas (podcast)

Julia and Victoria try to find the line between history and fantasy in The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang. They use their incredible communication skills to meet in the middle of their opposing opinions.Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Become a Member! Shop with us onBookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria onThe StoryGraph.Mentioned in this episode:The Poppy War by R. F. KuangYellowface by R. F. KuangCirce by Madeline MillerAbraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith“The Fires of Pompeii” - Doctor Who, Season 4, Episode 2 “In The Poppy War Series, R.F. Kuang Asks: 'What If Mao Was A Teenage Girl?'” by Alan Yu (NPR)Victoria’s favorite reddit review of Poppy WarA Game of Thrones by George R. R. MartinRecommendations:The Rape of Nanking by Iris ChangShanghai 1937 by Peter HarmsonComfort Women by Yoshimi YoshiakiThe Jakarta Method by Vincent BevinsThe Golden Compass by Philip PullmanA Tale for the Time Being by Ruth OzekiThe Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsSunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne CollinsThe Dragon Republic by R. F. KuangThe Burning God by R. F. KuangBabel by R. F. KuangJonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna ClarkeShe Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-ChanCurrently Obsessed:SABLE, fABLE by Bon Iver (album)Hacks, Season 4 (TV show) Deli Boys (TV show)The Pitt (TV show)True to You: A Therapist’s Guide to Stop Pleasing Others and Start Being Yourself by Dr. Kathleen SmithCat and Bird by Kyoko Mori

The Book Club takes a big bite of all the genres and references in Casey McQuiston’s fourth romance novel, The Pairing. Julia invents a new branch of theory entirely based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Victoria calculates her Saturn Return.Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Mentioned in this Episode:The Pairing by Casey McQuiston124 One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston — Spec-Fic-Rom WooLaWoo  (Book Club with Julia & Victoria)One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston085 Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Book Club with Julia & Victoria)Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuistonI Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuistonPushing boundaries, breaking norms, and the ADHD brain (Casey McQuiston's story) (ADHD Aha! podcast) Casey McQuiston: Celebrating queer love and joy and navigating the future of romance (Bookends podcast) Gone With the Wind by Margaret MitchellRoman Holiday (1953)Giovanni’s Room by James BaldwinThe Silmarillion by J. R. R. TolkeinThe Hobbit by J. R. R. TolkeinThe Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. TolkeinRecommendations:A Room with a View by E. M. ForsterA Room With a View (1985 film)Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong XiuMoonlight Chicken (tv series)Only Friends (tv series)Novels by Jasmine GuilloryI’ll Get Back to You by Becca GrischowCurrently Obsessed:Heaven’s Official Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong XiuLove in the Big City (tv show)

Julia and Victoria marvel over the masterful point of view shifts and scream about the ending of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. Victoria buys some lemonade.Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Mentioned in this episode:A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin - Book 1 and Season 1My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult - Book and MovieOur Flag Means DeathThe Divergent series by Veronica RothOur Wives Under the Sea by Julia ArmfieldThe Name of the Wind by Patrick RothfussTamsyn Muir interview with Three Crows magazineRecommendations:Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirNona the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirBabel by R. F. KuangThe Unspoken Name by A. K. LarkwoodNettle and Bone by T. KingfisherYellowjackets (TV show)Currently Obsessed:Olive Again by Elizabeth Strout

This discussion of Index, a History of the by Dennis Duncan is a big day for Victoria because it’s an episode all about her favorite thing ever: sorting things into categories. Julia is there to help translate the Middle English quotes.Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Mentioned in this episode:Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey ChaucerThe Great Vowel ShiftBook Parts edited by Dennis Duncan and Adam SmythVictoria’s very rough attempt at an index of Julia’s thesisAmerican Society for IndexingThe Daily ShowScalable socialityWilliam PooleRecommendations:Internet ArchiveFilterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle ChaikaThe Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (book)The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (podcast)Garbage Day newsletter on SubstackCurrently Obsessed:Alligator Bites Never Heal 2024 album by Doechii 2024What a Devastating Turn of Events 2024 album by Rachel ChinouririDunya 2024 album by Mustafa

“Excuse me, sir, there’s some magic in this romance”:  Julia and Victoria unpack Casey McQuiston’s sophomore novel, One Last Stop.This episode was recorded on September 2, 2024.Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Mentioned in this episode:One Last Stop by Casey McQuistonI Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuistonThe Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey NiffeneggerThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott FitzgeraldDoctor Who and River SongCasey McQuiston Is As Attached To Their Characters As You Are by Olivia Harrison (Refinery 29)Lost (TV series)This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-MohtarJasmine GuilloryTalia HibbertRecommendations:We Are Lady Parts (TV show available on Hulu)Honey Girl by Morgan RogersThe Brown Sisters series by Talia HibbertLast Night at the Telegram Club by Malinda LoCurrently Obsessed:Ethel Cain

Julia and Victoria discuss the last vampire book of The Vampire & the Octopus series and then get very excited about two questions: Are there any ethical choices under vampirism? And, if so, are ethical vampires even interesting?Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Mentioned in this episode:“I won’t always ask”: Complicating Agency in Octavia Butler’s Fledgling” by Florian BastDevil Girl From Mars (film)Patternmaster by Octavia ButlerThe Vampire Lestat by Anne RiceTwilight by Stephanie MeyerSouthern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady HendrixWoman, Eating by Claire KohdaGrady Hendrix’s vampire podcast Super Scary Haunted HomeschoolDear Hank and John (podcast)Recommendations:The Dispossessed by Ursula K LeGuinWild Seed by Octavia ButlerPiranesi by Susanna ClarkeInvincible comic book seriesCurrently Obsessed:Interview with the Vampire (tv series)We Are Lady Parts (tv series)The Pairing by Casey McQuistonScamanda (podcast)Big Ideas by Remi Wolf (album)

Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Mentioned in this episode:The Poppy War by R. F. KuangSemioticsThe Tusks of Extinction novella by Ray NaylorArrival (film)The Octopus: A Story of California by Frank NorrisHow High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia NagamatsuThe Dispossessed by Ursula K LeGuinRecommendations:Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness by Peter Godfrey-SmithBiosemiotics: An Examination Into the Signs of Life and the Life of Signs by Jesper HoffmeierBraiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer“Story of Your Life” by Ted ChiangCurrently Obsessed:Interview with the Vampire season 2Walkin About podcastLawrence album Family BusinessStill Woozy album Loveseat

Julia makes her case of why the creature in Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is NOT really a vampire, and Victoria makes a counterargument that it is actually the MOST vampire. They are both generally infuriated with everyone in this novel except Mrs. Green. Content Warning: mentions of sexual violence.Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Become a Member! Shop with us onBookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria onThe StoryGraph.Mentioned in this Episode:Grady Hendrix’s website“Charleston native Grady Hendrix and best-selling horror author wants to terrify you, and you’ll never be more happily horrified” by Stephanie Hunt, Charleston Magazine Dirt Candy (book)Dirt Candy (restaurant) Amanda Cohen, Iron Chef CanadaGrady Hendrix’s “The Great Stephen King Reread” seriesGrady Hendrix’s vampire podcast: Super Scary Haunted HomeschoolThe Strain (tv show)Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-SmithCarmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, edited by Carmen Maria MachadoRecommendationsUnbelievable (tv show)Spotlight (film)Gathering Blue by Lois LowryYellowjackets (tv show)How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady HendrixMy Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady HendrixBeloved by Toni MorrisonCurrently ObsessedInterview With the Vampire season 2 (tv show)Hacks season 3 (tv show)Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding season 2 (podcast)The Dragon Republic (Poppy Wars Trilogy Book 2) by R. F. KuangThrough the Ages board game mobile app

Julia and Victoria read a pandemic book called The Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller where the octopus is not the focus of the story, but is at the heart of the book’s major themes of captivity and embodiment. Victoria makes the ill-advised choice to revisit some of her early-pandemic journals.Views expressed on Book Club with Julia and Victoria and bookclubwithjv.com are solely those of the hosts and not necessarily those of their employers, clients, guests, and collaborators. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that give us a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more.Become a Member! Shop with us on Bookshop.org! Follow the podcast on Instagram and hang out with Victoria on The StoryGraph.Mentioned in this episode:The Soul of an Octopus by Sy MontgomeryStaying in With Emily and KumailRecommendations:Swimming Lessons by Claire FullerOur Endless Numbered Days by Claire FullerUnsettled Ground by Claire FullerHow High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia NagamatsuI Who Have Never Known Men by Jaqueline HartmanLucy by the Sea by Elizabeth StroudMy Octopus Teacher on NetflixCurrently Obsessed:Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa (album)Jacob Collier’s existenceHit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish (album)Interview With the Vampire season 2