The Currently Reading Podcast

Meredith and Kaytee are back, chatting books and strong opinions with you! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: leaning into the DNF (did not finish), and a recovery book as reading "Advil." Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We've got three books each to discuss, including some revisits of titles that have already been discussed. Our Slow But Steady check in is short and sweet, just like you like it! For our deep dive this week, we are talking True Crime. This is an unknown world for Kaytee so we're hearing from Meredith about what she loves about True Crime and her favorites in the genre. Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands: a cry-fest book that not everyone will love, and a book for middle graders that one of us still needs to pick up! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* . . . . . 5:20 - Sarah's Bookshelves Alcohol & Advil pairings! 6:42 - The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman 6:49 - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman 9:41 - Be Fearless by Jean Case 12:53 - The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon 16:00 - The Need by Helen Phillips 16:05 - She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey 16:11 - Episode 11 of Season 2 with Sara Hildreth 20:00 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix Harrow 24:26 - The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman 24:39 - Book of the Month Subscription 24:56 - Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman 29:10 - The Road Back to You by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron 29:38 - The Water Dancer by Ta-Nahesi Coates 29:53 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman 30:38 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 33:28 - The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson 35:46 - The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule 37:38 - The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 38:56 - The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse 39:27 - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 39:52 - Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi 40:04 - Outrage: The Five Reasons Why O.J. Simpson Got Away With Murder by Vincent Bugliosi 40:24 - Mindhunter by John Douglas 41:24 - I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara 43:02 - Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann 43:12 - Columbine by Dave Cullen 44:03 - Sadie by Courtney Summers 44:11 - Six Stories by Matt Weselowski 45:31 - The Light Between Oceans by ML Steadman 47:52 - All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood 49:09 - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Kaytee and Meredith are sharing a special guest with you this week, our dear friend and podcast pal, Sarah Dickinson of Sarah's Bookshelves and Sarah's Bookshelves Live. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a sanity saver behind the scenes, meeting a (kid's) favorite author, and new reading acronyms. Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We're each sharing two reads this week and we're all over the place with sequels and weird books, and amazing books, and STRONG opinions! We're skipping slow but steady so we have more time to chat with Sarah. Stay tuned for an update on that next week. For our deep dive this week, we are picking Sarah's brain about what it's like to almost always be reading ahead of the charts. How she tracks her reading and whether she has goals for her yearly reading. It's a great conversation with lots of food for thought. Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands. We've got a non-fiction pick that will tear your heart out, an oldie but a goodie, and a WWII fiction book one of us believes is "best in class." As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* . . . . . 4:06 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 4:15 - Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney 8:03 - Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey 8:27 - Big Nate by Lincoln Pearce 8:29 - Dog Man by Dav Pilkey 11:30 - After the Flood by Kassandra Montag 13:40 - The Innocents by Michael Crummy 15:25 - Wanderers by Chuck Wendig 15:50 - The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker 16:18 - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd 16:37 - Bird Box by Josh Malerman 16:50 - Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton 17:41 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 18:13 - A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer 19:36 - Minisode with Brigid Kemmerer 25:36 - Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman I managed to talk about this entire book without mentioning the title? How?? The Unbreakable Code by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman 26:50 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 26:51 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 26:59 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas 27:01 - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas 27:30 - Our companion episode with Sara Hildreth 27:32 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live episode with Sara Hildreth 27:45 - The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore 33:20 - The Need by Helen Phillips 33:45 - Ten Things To Tell You episode about books 38:39 - The Grace Year by Kim Liggett 38:50 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 39:00 - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 40:18 - Lord of the Flies by William Golding 55:14 - The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne 55:29 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M Graff 55:50 - Sarah's interview with Garrett M. Graff 1:00:09 - Episode 9 with Meg Tietz 1:00:22 - The Home Maker by Dorothy Canfield 1:02:54 - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave 1:03:11 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 1:03:13 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 1:04:32 - Kaytee's old (written) interview with Chris Cleave 1:05:20 - Connect with Sarah: @sarahsbookshelves on Instagram or her website sarahsbookshelves.com

Meredith and Kaytee are back in your earbuds this week for another new episode of Currently Reading and we have lots of fun stuff to share with you! First, a quick announcement about our Patron-only book club: we will be discussing The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain, and the author will be joining us to chat about her book on November 17th! So, if you've been on the fence about reading or joining our Patreon, now may be the time to do it! Second, we have a Currently Reading Listener Survey for you this week. Please click through to the survey and tell us your thoughts about all things Currently Reading! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a local author event and pre-reading a book for a friend. Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We're each sharing two reads this week since Belly Up episodes end up running long. Strong opinions abound in our novels this week! We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, including a "completed!" update. For our deep dive this week, we are discussing the Currently Reading 2019 Challenge category 11: Books Pressed by an IRL or Online Book Club. We already shared a lot of Book Club thoughts in episode 4 of season 2, so this ends up being an ode to finding your bookish tribe. Finally, this week, we are Bellying Up to the Book Bar with DeeAnn Haworth. This was a bit of a challenge for one of us, but we're excited to talk about some new to you and to us titles! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* . . . . . 1:15 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain 1:40 - Patreon 1:53 - Currently Reading Listener Survey 2:51 - Garcia Street Books in Santa Fe, NM 3:23 - The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal 3:33 - Minisode with J. Ryan Stradal 5:22 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 5:45 - The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley 7:14 - The Dearly Beloved by Cara Walls 7:20 - Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner 7:40 - Knox McCoy on The Popcast 7:43 - Shelf Subscription on Bookshelf Thomasville 14:06 - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green 19:50 - The Swallows by Lisa Lutz 20:05 - Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey 20:07 - The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker 25:29 - Currently Reading on Patreon 25:46 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain 31:59 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 33:15 - The Road Back to You by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron 33:56 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 34:50 - Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell 36:30 - Currently Reading 2019 Reading Challenge 36:47 - Episode 4 of Season 2 38:00 - Meredith on Episode 85 (I said 89, but that was a mistake!) of Sorta Awesome Podcast 42:13 - bookish.com 43:43 - Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series 43:46 - JA Jance's Joanna Brady and JP Beaumont series 43:54 - Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall 43:57 - Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman 44:00 - Richard Paul Evans' The Walk series and The Broken Road series 44:05 - An Eldery Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten 44:10 - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 44:12 - Elevation by Stephen King 44:15 - Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy 44:19 - When by Victoria Laurie 45:55 - Sue Grafton's Alphabet Series 46:42 - Mickey Haller/Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael Connelly 46:56 - When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman 47:22 - Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series 47:59 - In Her Bones by Kate Moretti 48:37 - Joshilyn Jackson's The Almost Sisters and A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty 48:50 - Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney 49:21 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman 49:46 - Rabbit, the Autobiography of Ms. Pat by Patricia Williams 50:20 - Aunti Poldi series by Mario Giordano 50:45 - Celine by Peter Heller 50:49 - The River by Peter Heller 51:39 - Setting Free the Kites by Alex George 51:42 - Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen 51:56 - Little Lovely Things by Maureen Joyce Connelly 52:40 - The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth 53:12 - Thinner by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman 54:16 - The Grown-Up by Gillian Flynn 54:45 - McNally's Secret by Lawrence Sanders 56:20 - Listener Survey - one more time!

Kaytee is recording with a guest host this week as Meredith is traveling, and I think you'll really enjoy hearing from her! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: an author event with a tiny sidekick, and a special bookish gift from a friend. Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. This week's choices have romance, non-fiction, and historical fiction novels! We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, as well as a couple listener updates For our deep dive this week, we are taking a peek at Lori Lynn's reading life, and the ways she uses reading to balance her mental health. It's a really interesting conversation about how reading looks different for each of us. Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. We've both brought a non-fiction pick this week, and they are certain to spark conversations! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* . . . . . 2:10 - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 3:01 - Episode 17 with Delia Owens interview! 3:28 - Glennon Doyle Meton (on tour for Love Warrior) 3:30 - Anthony Doerr (on tour for All the Light We Cannot See) 4:10 - A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer 4:54 - Currently Reading Bookish Friends on Patreon 6:11 - The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren 8:30 - Anna Hithersay on Episode 22 10:10 - The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang 10:36 - The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez 10:49 - The Happily Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez 11:04 - Viral social media post about ExLax from Abby Jimenez 12:11 - The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory 14:38 - The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon 17:56 - Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon 18:03 - Audiobook Sync program (not happening now, but you can sign up for the email list so you know when it comes around next summer) 18:34 - Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens 19:48 - A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas 20:54 - The Parasol Protectorate (series) by Gail Carriager 21:51 - Fair Play by Eve Rodsky 22:13 - Mary Heim on episode 24 and episode 36 28:09 - Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud 29:29 - Lunch Lady (series) by Jarrett Krosoczka 30:14 - Another Bookish Friend (Patron) Shout Out! 30:18 - Currently Reading 2019 Reading Challenge 30:54 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery 30:59 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery 31:06 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 31:59 - The Complete Short Stories of Flannery O'Connor 32:39 - Book People in Austin, TX 33:41 - Harry Potter (series) by JK Rowling 34:00 - Middlemarch by George Eliot 34:21 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 34:51 - Serial Reader App 35:54 - The Post Party Podcast 43:59 - Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski 44:55 - Jessie Bear books by Nancy White Carlstrom 45:13 - Little Bear books by Elsie Holmlund Minarik 45:36 - Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman 45:55 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery 48:18 - Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey 50:19 - Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey 51:09 - Being Mortal by Atul Gwande 51:12 - The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe 52:32 - But That's Another Story podcast with Will Schwalbe 52:51 - What Should I Read Next podcast 54:16 - Connect with Lori Lynn: @lorilynn_tucker or @lorilynntucker_doula 54:25 - The Post Party Podcast

Meredith and Kaytee are ready to chat about one of their favorite topics this week: local libraries, how to love them well, and how to enjoy them extensively. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a bookshelf purge and new library bliss. Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We've got scary stuff, apocalypses, children's fiction, and books everyone needs to read. We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, and some observations from our listeners about what they're reading for SBS. For our deep dive this week, we are showering love on our local libraries. We've got tips and tricks for how to use your library well, but we've also got the inside scoop on what you can do to help your library and keep it going strong. So many words, and we tried to rein it in! Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. Our books are great complements to each other, in that one will be thought-provoking and essential and maybe even emotional or difficult while the other is fun and feisty and sweet. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* . . . . . 1:20 - Sleep at a Book Hotel! 6:29 - Babysitter's Club Graphic Novels by Ann M. Martin 6:39 - Sisters by Raina Telgemeier 6:41 - Smile by Raina Telgemeier 9:59 - The Whisper Man by Alex North 12:45 - Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware 15:01 - Wanderers by Chuck Wendig 15:22 - Shelf subscription from Bookshelf Thomasville 15:58 - From the Front Porch podcast 18:37 - The Stand by Stephen King 19:07 - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd 20:33 - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead 20:39 - Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 26:31 - The Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Janssen 30:54 - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer 31:52 - Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 34:12 - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 34:31 - Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin 34:58 - A Torch Against the Night (Book 2) by Sabaa Tahir 35:40 - A Court of Thrones and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 36:12 - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas 37:08 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 38:02 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery 39:11 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 39:49 - Patreon 40:15 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain 42:28 - Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher 43:11 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 43:12 - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 43:46 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M Graff 46:36 - Library Extension for your browser 51:59 - Library Elf to manage your holds and such 53:20 - Keep scrolling down for the full list of ways to help your library from our Bookish Friend and local library board member, Sarah McGuire! 54:05 - Friends of the Library membership - your local library will probably have a link to THEIR friends program on their website 58:01 - Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande 1:00:18 - La Cucina by Lily Prior 1:00:28 - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel 1:00:30 - Chocolat by Joanne Harris 1:03:14 - Currently Reading Drinkware 1:03:16 - Currently Reading Sherpa Throw __________________________________________________________________________________________ Options for helping your library from a board member: - share a talent (grant writing, graphic design, etc.) - join the library "friends" group or at a minimum attend a meeting or two and help at fundraising events - maybe even volunteer to chair an event. In this day and age of dwindling book sales as a major fundraiser, new ideas are encouraged! - if your library has a membership campaign/fundraising drive, donate even if just $10-15 - if every town resident donated even $5, we'd raise a ton during our annual membership drive! - if you donate and have company match, submit it and double your dollars if your library qualifies as a non profit - consider a recurring donation if your company promotes that (right from your paycheck if your library qualifies as a non profit) - attend budget meetings and support your library. Get the facts and if there are budget cuts that you do not agree with, go and advocate for library funding. If you can't attend, send a letter for public forum/comments advocating for your library. - attend programs your library holds - they love to see people at their programs! - ask your library director what they need! - donate GOOD books for book sales/book carts - share your enthusiasm with friends and your community - advocate for your library! - ask if there is something you can help with (I stuff envelopes, write thank yous, etc) - donate items for fundraising drives - our library does an annual auction and we usually put together baskets - get a small group of friends to donate items for a basket! Have season sport tickets/theater tickets you can't use? Donate them! If you know a local business, ask them for donations - it takes a village to put together a good silent auction! Thank you, Sarah, for all these amazing tips!

Kaytee and Meredith are back into their routine after some guests and a big shake-up, and we're excited to be here! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: moving and the big changes it brings, a #bookstagram challenge. Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. This week is going to feel a little different for a number of reasons. Take a listen to hear about 2 books Kaytee read recently and then we'll talk about what's happening with Meredith's reading life. We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, with a funny update from a couple listeners. For our deep dive this week, we are checking out the eleventh category of the #readerstatus side of the Currently Reading Challenge, books by authors from other countries. We have a lot of great authors here and we know you'll have a bunch to add to our list! Finally, this week, we are Bellying Up to the Book Bar with listener Jami Dabbs. She loves "stories well-told with characters you can sink your teeth into" and we think we've got some great recs for her. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* . . . . . 2:35 - Currently Reading Challenge 3:55 - Book People in Austin, TX 4:36 - Fabled Book Shop in Waco, TX 5:08 - Texas Book Festival 5:33 - #book10gram challenge with @howjessreads 5:38 - Jessica Howard on Episode 3 of Season 2 9:36 - After the Flood by Kassandra Montag 13:32 - The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger 13:40- Episode 31 of Ten Things to Tell You 15:41 - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 18:09 - A Better Man by Louise Penny 29:23 - Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny 29:33 - Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan 31:38 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 31:59 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery 32:02 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 33:05 - The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway 33:13 - A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway 33:14 - The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway 34:11 - Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast 34:25 - Harry Potter series by JK Rowling 35:37 - Currently Reading Challenge 36:18 - Murmur of Bees by Sophia Segovia 36:44 - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel 37:20 - Chocolat by Joanne Harris 38:10 - A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle 38:36 - Frederick Backman (Beartown, A Man Called Ove, etc) 38:54 - Stieg Larsson Millennium Series (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) 39:14 - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Americanah, We Should All Be Feminists, etc) 39:29 - Abraham Verghese - Cutting for Stone 39:33 - Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner, And The Mountains Echoed 39:57 - Alexander McCall Smith - The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency 40:26 - John Boyne - The Heart's Invisible Furies 40:54 - Junot Diaz - The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao 41:06 - Gabriel Garcia Marquez - One Hundred Years of Solitude 41:11 - Jose Saramago - Blindness 41:30 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas 41:31 - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 41:32 - Les Miserables by Victor Hugo 41:35 - Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice, etc) 41:36 - Charles Dickens (Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, etc) 42:44 - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 42:47 - Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys 42:51 - We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter 42:53 - The Dry by Jane Harper 42:54 - Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand 42:56 - Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet 43:01 - Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 43:03 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 43:56 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 44:04 - The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 44:20 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 44:38 - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand 45:46 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 44:49 - The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes 44:55 - The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak 45:36 - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield 45:52 - A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams 46:27 - Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 46:39 - The Current by Tim Johnston 47:07 - The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough 47:33 - North and South by John Jakes 47:56 - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry 48:08 - East of Eden by John Steinbeck 48:43 - Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson 48:50 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 49:10 - All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage 49:26 - The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

Meredith and Kaytee are recording with a special guest this week, Sara Hildreth of @fictionmatters on Instagram. We'll chat with her about building a 70K follower account and how that affects her reading life. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a long-awaited pre-order arrives, a forthcoming release that we're excited to read, and exploring a new literary scene. Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We are each sharing two books that we've read recently. We've got some differing opinions about books we've all read, which is my FAVORITE thing. We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, with more observations about what Slow But Steady can be and doesn't have to be. For our deep dive this week, we are going deep into the backside of #bookstagram, asking Sara about her history on the platform, how she keeps her reading life in balance, and her favorite and least favorite parts of being a BIG bookstagrammer. Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. Each of us is sharing a book that we can't wait for you to read. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* . . . . . 1:13 - @fictionmatters on Instagram 2:12 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling, Illustration Edition 3:35 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins 3:47 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 6:46 - The Familiars by Stacy Halls 7:09 -The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe 10:37 - Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins 13:15 - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh 16:36 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 16:37 - Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 17:11 - She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey 19:25 - Bad Blood by John Kerryrou 21:42 - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton 21:57 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton 22:15 - The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton 22:19 - Episode 11 of Season 1 25:13 - The House at Riverton by Kate Morton 26:51 - Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey 26:57 - Mary Heim in Episode 36 of Season 1 28:15 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 30:43 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 30:57 - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell 31:05 - On Writing by Stephen King 31:24 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 31:32 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery 32:28 - The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander #5) 32:43 - How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi 52:52 - Possession by A.S. Byatt 57:22 - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 59:33 - I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam 1:01:31 - Connect with Sara: @fictionmatters on Instagram, fictionmattersbooks.com

Kaytee is recording with a special guest this week, her little sister! Sy is a prolific reader, working the night shift, and has big book opinions. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: vacation reading choices, and an email from a family member. Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We are each sharing three books we've read recently, and they are all over the map! We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update, along with an update from a couple listeners with regard to their choices. For our deep dive this week, we are poking around in Sy's reading life. We'll learn about when he developed his love for reading, how he balances reading and school, and if he has any controversial opinions regarding the reading life. Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. We've got a great series of books for people who want to know all the things, as well as a childhood favorite that isn't to be overlooked. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 1:31 - Vacationland by John Hodgeman 2:58 - Walkable City by Jeff Speck 3:57 - Sue Grafton novels 5:07 - Mind if I Order the Cheeseburger? by Sherry F. Colb 7:29 - The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old by Hendrik Groen 8:33 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman 9:16 - On the Bright Side: The New Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 85 Years Old by Hendrik Groen 9:46 - Timeline by Michael Crichton 9:54 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton 9:59 - Lost World by Michael Crichton 10:07 - Congo by Michael Crichton 11:41 - The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich 11:53 - Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder 12:24 - Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder 14:29 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 15:34 - Defining the Wind: The Beaufort Scale and How a 19th Century Admiral Turned Science Into Poetry by Scott Huler 18:00 - The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes 21:59 - The Know-It-All by AJ Jacobs 23:03 - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell 23:49 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery 23:55 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery 24:01 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 24:49 - On Writing by Stephen King 25:00 - Notes From a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwauchie 25:08 - Moby Dick by Herman Melville 25:12 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 25:51 - Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens 26:54 - The Essential Calvin and Hobbes Treasury by Bill Watterson 27:35 - Animal Farm by George Orwell 27:39 - A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 30:02 - Constantly Calibrating podcast 38:49 - What If by Randall Munroe 38:50 - Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe 38:58 - How To by Randall Munroe 42:07 - Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein 43:59 - The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Meredith and Kaytee are back in your earbuds and speakers. And we're feeling a little feisty this week (we know.. that's your favorite)! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: an explanation for the extreme busy-ness around here, and a Patron-related milestone! Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. Two titles from each host, middle grade, YA, contemporary romance, and classic #bookstagrammademedoit. We've got an update for you on our Slow But Steady reads and what's been happening for our own SBS reads in the past week, as well as a few emails from listeners to share. For our deep dive this week, we are discussing our favorite self-help and productivity books. Two Penelopes talking about productivity? Don't worry, the show notes have ALL the titles! Finally, this week, we are Bellying Up to the Book Bar. Jasmine Lake wants sweet and fun books, she doesn't mind heavier topics, but as an HSP, they need to be dealt with gently. And we've got a bunch of goodies to share with her! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 0:45 - Currently Reading throw in the Zazzle Store 4:31 - Currently Reading Patreon (so many fun ways to connect with us over there!) 6:21 - Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes 9:05 - House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig 11:45 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 13:31 - Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner 15:16 - East of Eden by Richard Poe 17:41 - Patrons get access to monthly Kaytee Reads Too Much episodes! 19:11 - Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi 19:19 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 23:26 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 24:44 - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell 24:57 - On Writing by Stephen King 25:54 - Swan's Way by Marcel Proust 26:49 - Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11 by Michael Zuckoff 27:15 - Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow 27:21 - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 27:30 - Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 27:32 - The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander 29:23 - The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown 29:37 - Daring Greatly by Brene Brown 29:52 - Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown 30:17 - The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 30:22 - Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin 31:01 - The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg 31:24 - Atomic Habits by James Clear 32:02 - Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern 32:28 - 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam 32:54 - Off the Clock by Laura Vanderkam 33:08 - The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner 33:12 - Episode 7 of Currently Reading with Jessica Turner 33:36 - Stretched Too Thin by Jessica Turner 34:13 - The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson 34:44 - You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero 35:08 - The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal 35:26 - Essentialism by Greg McKeown 35:31 - Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guilleabeau 36:00 - Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski 36:34 - The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz 36:52 - Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle 37:34 - Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner 37:36 - Notes From a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider 38:01 - 10% Happier by Dan Harris 38:48 - Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist 40:44 - Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum 40:55 - Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen 41:06 - Blended by Sharon M Draper 41:09 - Heart Land by Kimberly Stuart 41:11 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 42:11 - Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch 42:23 - To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han 42:29 - When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandyha Menon 42:45 - What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum 42:56 - The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg 43:01 - Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg 43:23 - The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber 44:04 - The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey 44:09 - Stardust by Neil Gaiman 44:51 - Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi 45:01 - Winterhouse and Secrets of Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 45:17 - The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson 45:19 - The Beasts of Clawstone Castle by Eva Ibbotson 45:52 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 46:09 - The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry 46:38 - The Bookshop Girl by Sylvia Bishop 47:11 - Blue Birds by Caroline Starr Rose 48:06 - Patrons get access to monthly bonus Belly Up to the Book Bar episodes! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Meredith and Kaytee are chatting this week with a very special guest! She is the person that has been MOST requested as a guest on our show, and she's here! Anne Bogel, creator of Modern Mrs. Darcy and What Should I Read Next, and general, all-around amazing lady, is chatting with us today and we couldn't be more excited. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from all three of us: two are very similar in that they involve bookish friendships, and one is a library-related book demerit (a la Gretchen Rubin on the Happier podcast). Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. Two titles from each host, and we are bringing a wide range of books, from romance to thrillers, to interesting writing styles, to weirdo books. It's all here! We've got an update for you on our Slow But Steady reads and what's been happening in the past week, as well as a fun update from a listener. For our deep dive this week, we are chatting all things Anne Bogel. You'll hear about the advice she would have given herself before Episode 1 of What Should I Read Next (now that she's 200+ episodes in), you'll hear about her new book coming out next year, and a bit of behind the scenes talk about giving book recs on the fly. Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands. And we know you cannot wait to see what Anne chose as her press! We've got a novella for every reader who loves books about books, the beginning of a new (old) mystery series, and a summer read that we've gushed about in previous episodes. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 1:12 - What Should I Read Next podcast 1:15 - One Great Book podcast 2:16 - 200th Episode of What Should I Read Next 9:06 - The Whisper Man by Alex North 13:35 - The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams 15:32 - Hot Dudes Reading on Instagram 15:45 - The Chain by Adrian McKinty 18:14 - Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips 19:00 - Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane 19:25 - The Girl Before by JP Delaney 19:36 - Lock Every Door by Riley Sager 21:50 - One Day by David Nicholls 25:36 - Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata 27:52 - A Better Man by Louise Penny 32:08 - A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny 33:03 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 33:32 - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell 33:43 - On Writing by Stephen King 34:46 - Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal 35:41 - 200th Episode of What Should I Read Next 39:44 - Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel 49:26 - The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett 49:43 - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff 49:45 - Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley 51:11 - Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club 52:22 - A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie 52:48 - A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombie 54:13 - Volume 2, Episode 6 of One Great Book 54:34 - Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal 58:13 - Beartown by Fredrik Backman Connect with Anne: modernmrsdarcy.com, @annebogel on Instagram, @whatshouldireadnext on Instagram *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*