April at RED: The Calm Before the Storm

April is a strange month. The air is thick with everything that’s about to happen — storms brewing, flowers plotting their grand entrance, and the sense that something big sits just out of sight. At RED, we love a good moment of suspense. This month, we’re leaning into that restless hush before things explode.

READ: Letters of Light and Shadow by Jennifer Poliwoda

Nothing says “the calm before the storm” quite like a letter that changes everything. In Letters of Light and Shadow, Jennifer Poliwoda invites us into a world where questioning the “truths” we’ve always accepted is like opening Pandora’s box. Once you start, you can’t go back. Secrets spill out, and what’s left behind is never the same.

Poliwoda’s writing is equal parts lyrical and unsettling, like the flicker of lightning on a dark horizon. The story draws you in with the promise of gentle revelations, then delivers aftershocks that linger well after the last page.

Check it out on Amazon.

Find it on Goodreads.

EAT: Chocolate-Mint Popcorn

Popcorn is the ultimate calm-before-the-storm snack. It sits there, still and quiet, until a little heat turns it inside out. For April, we’re making chocolate-mint popcorn — a treat that’s soothing and surprising all at once. The mint is cool, the chocolate rich, and the whole bowl is gone before you know it.

Grab a bowl, share it around, and see if you can resist the urge to eat it all before your book club even starts talking. (Or just pop a second batch — we don’t judge.)

Find the recipe here: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-mint-popcorn/

DRINK: Chamomile Tequila Sour

Even the wildest storms start with something peaceful — like a cup of chamomile tea. This month’s drink puts a twist on that calm: a Chamomile Tequila Sour. It’s floral, citrusy, and just unpredictable enough to get the conversation flowing. The chamomile softens the edges, while the tequila keeps you on your toes. It’s a sip of serenity with a kick.

Find the recipe here.

Book Club Topic Ideas

• When was the last time questioning something changed everything for you?

• Which “truths” in Letters of Light and Shadow felt the most dangerous to disturb?

• Have you ever kept a secret so long it changed you?

• What’s your personal “calm before the storm” moment — in life, in reading, or in relationships?

• How do you know when it’s time to open Pandora’s box… and when to leave it shut?

• What foods or drinks remind you of suspense, anticipation, or the feeling of waiting for something big?

  
  

Here’s to the hush, the heat, and the thunder that follows.

Happy Reading, Eating and Drinking!