The Currently Reading Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Season 8, Episode 32: Exciting Adaptations + How To Audiobook Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing:

Bookish Moments: Book adaptations and giving out book recs IRL
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: How to audiobook
Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and something Kaytee is curious about

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

1:21 - Bookish Moments of the Week

1:35 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

1:41 - PBS app

2:31 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

3:07 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

3:46 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

3:48 - Call Her Daddy podcast w/Sarah J. Maas

4:55 - A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

6:55 - Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas

7:09 - @hollyslitmagic on Instagram

9:15 - All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle

9:31 - The Day the World Came To Town by Jim DeFede

9:48 - Search by Michele Huneven

10:16 - Current Reads

11:00 - The Night She Died by Dorothy Simpson (Meredith, ebook only)

16:52 - Courtroom Drama by Neely Tubati Alexander (Kaytee)

17:02 - Literally A Bookshop

21:30 - The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer (Meredith)

22:51 - We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

26:23 - Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver (Kaytee)

29:04 - Partita by Barbara Kingsolver (pre-order releases Oct 6, 2026)

29:08 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

29:44 - A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James (Meredith)

29:59 - The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

34:02 - The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

35:46 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion (vol. 1) by Beth Brower (Kaytee)

43:15 - How To Listen To Audiobooks

55:14 - Before We Go

Kaytee highlights a bookish friend post

56:26 - Greenwood by Michael Christie

56:29 - The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah

Meredith brings something she's curious about

57:20 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

57:35 - Footnotes and Tangents

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March's IPL is brought by our lovely friends at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 31: Book Festivals + Revisiting The Currently Reading Press List Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

Bookish Moments: Book festivals and new book podcast episodes
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: Revisiting the Currently Reading Press List
Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and something Kaytee is curious about

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

:10 Bite Size Intro

2:01 - Currently Reading Press List

3:00 - Bookish Moments of the Week

3:23 - Tucson Festival of Books

3:54 - If you will be at TFOB, email Kaytee at kaytee @ currentlyreadingpodcast . com

5:17 - The Diving In podcast

6:28 - Current Reads

6:36 - Wreck by Catherine Newman (Kaytee)

6:49 - Sandwich by Catherine Newman

9:50 - Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton (Meredith, Blackwell's link)

12:58 - Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips

15:06 - The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande (Kaytee)

15:14 - Kaytee's Instagram @notesonbookmarks

19:09 - Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic by C.M. Nascosta (Meredith)

19:18 - Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta

25:21 - Love and Fury by Samantha Silva (Kaytee)

25:26 - The Novel Neighbor

26:32 - Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva

26:35 - CR Season 1: Episode 18

27:36 - You're Dead To Me podcast

28:46 - The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty (Meredith)

30:16 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

32:39 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

32:40 - The Princess Bride by William Goldman

34:41 - Revisiting The Currently Reading Press List

34:58 - Currently Reading Press List

38:53 - The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt

39:00 - Pansuit Politics podcast

42:06 - Matilda by Roald Dahl

42:52 - Death at Bishop's Keep by Robin Paige

43:21 - The Guncle by Steven Rowley

43:33 - The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse

43:48 - Disney War by James B. Stewart

43:52 - The Course of Love by Alain de Botton

44:08 - Shogun by James Clavell

44:28 - Dataclysm by Christian Rudder

44:39 - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

44:51 - Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

45:11 - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

45:20 - The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa Greene

45:29 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

45:30 - Scythe by Neal Shusterman

45:36 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

46:03 - My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

46:04 - My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

46:09 - The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich

46:11 - The Paper Magician by Charlie Homberg

46:25 - The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

47:15 - Expecting Better by Emily Oster

47:26 - Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman

50:14 - Before We Go

Meredith highlights a bookish friend post

50:54 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion by Beth Brower

Kaytee brings something she's curious about

53:00 - Laura Tremaine's Substack

53:15 - 10 Things To Tell You podcast

55:13 - Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

55:29 - Kin by Tayari Jones

55:37 - Whistler by Ann Patchett

55:51 - Land by Maggie O'Farrell

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March's IPL is brought by our lovely friends at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 30: Weekly Buddy Reading + Organizing Our Bookshelves Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Mary are discussing:

Bookish Moments: A new bookish metaphor and book moms in the wild
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: Organizing Our Bookshelves
Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and a sleeper hit you should read.

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

1:18 - Ad For Ourselves

2:03 - Currently Reading Patreon

2:55 - Bookish Moments of the Week

3:19 - A Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl

7:44 - @meg.al.reads on Instagram

9:19 - Current Reads

9:26 - Agnes Aubert's Magical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett (Mary)

9:54 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

13:34 - Mate by Ali Hazelwood (Kaytee)

13:38 - Bride by Ali Hazelwood

MARYS NEXT BOOK BEGINS AT 17:43 IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR MATE'S SETUP

16:31 - romance.io

17:48 - Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen (Mary)

19:50 - The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen

19:52 - CR Season 4: Episode 38 w/Mary's setup of The Arc

21:07 - One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Kaytee)

23:39 - American War by Omar El Akkad

26:02 - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Mary)

28:19 - This Is How You Win the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

29:57 - Honey by Imani Thompson (pre-order, releases May 5, 2026) (Kaytee)

32:10 - They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

34:36 - Organizing Our Bookshelves

36:51 - Ikea Kallax Bookshelf

37:47 - Ikea Billy Bookcase

42:40 - Cinder by Marissa Meyer

48:50 - The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

49:47 - Currently Reading Substack

53:51 - Before We Go

Kaytee highlights a bookish friend post

54:38 - Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

54:40 - The Wife, The Mistress and the Maid by Ariel Lawhon

54:42 - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

54:44 - The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

54:47 - The Antidote by Karen Russell

54:52 - The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kawali

Mary brings a sleeper hit, with a twist:

57:02 - Looking At Picture Books w/Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

58:51 - Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March's IPL is brought by our lovely friends at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 29: A Website Refresh + Curating A Bookstagram Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing:

Bookish Moments: A new bookish metaphor and book moms in the wild
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: Explaining a Currently Reading literary society
Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and a sleeper hit you should read.

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

1:44 - Bookish Moments of the Week

1:52 - Currently Reading Website

1:56 - Books We Want To Press Into Your Hands

3:03 - Best Books for Babies and Kids

3:42 - Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge

5:55 - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO Max

7:12 - Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

7:16 - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin (all 3 Dunk and Egg novellas)

7:55 - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

8:33 - Current Reads

8:41 - The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon (Kaytee)

11:47 - The Book Wanderers by Anna James

11:50 - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

11:54 - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

13:08 - Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (Meredith)

15:10 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

15:11 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

15:45 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

22:27 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

24:10 - Six Feet Over by Mary Roach (Kaytee)

27:20 - Gulp by Mary Roach

27:21 - Bonk by Mary Roach

27:22 - Stiff by Mary Roach

28:51 - Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (Meredith)

32:06 - Agatha Christie's Marple by Mark Aldridge

34:18 - The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden (Kaytee)

34:33 - Charter Books

39:00 - Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Meredith)

42:28 - Dracula by Bram Stoker

45:21 - Turning Instagram into Bookstagram

47:25 - Sign up for the newsletter on our website

47:26 - Currently Reading Substack

50:48 - Currently Reading Instagram

50:54 - @HelloSunshine on Instagram

50:58 - @BookRiot on Instagram

51:00 - @NYTBooks on Instagram

51:40 - @Iamblackharry on Instagram

52:10 - Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

52:28 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

52:42 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

53:42 - The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

53:48 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore

54:03 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

56:13 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live

58:44 - Before We Go

Meredith highlights a bookish friend post

59:34 - The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

59:54 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Kaytee's Book She DNF'd:

1:01:22 - The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor

1:01:28 - Bookshelf Thomasville

1:02:57 - From the Front Porch podcast

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 28: Reader Speed Dating + CR Style Book Clubs Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing:

Bookish Moments: A new bookish metaphor and book moms in the wild
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: Explaining a Currently Reading literary society
Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and a sleeper hit you should read.

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

1:28 - Bookish Moments of the Week

5:56 - Current Reads

6:23 - A Violent Age by Sarah Blake (Meredith, amazon link)

7:25 - Clean Air by Sarah Blake

13:08 - Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai (Kaytee)

15:28 - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

16:41 - Currently Reading Website

17:59 - Speedy Death by Gladys Mitchell (Meredith)

23:34 - A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (Kaytee)

23:52 - History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook

24:05 - The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid

26:27 - The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

26:28 - Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

26:32 - House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

26:42 - Sing Me To Sleep by Gabi Burton

26:50 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

28:59 - The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan (Meredith)

33:18 - Booktenders

33:37 - Everyone Is Lying To You by Jo Piazza (Kaytee)

38:40 - Currently Reading Style Book Clubs

42:49 - A Violent Age by Sarah Blake

50:16 - Before We Go

Kaytee highlights a bookish friend post

50:34 - Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

50:36 - The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

50:37 - Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

50:40 - The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

51:22 - The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

51:39 - Confessions by Kanae Minato

Meredith's Sleeper Hit:

52:34 - Sphere by Michel Crichton

52:39 - Timeline by Michael Crichton

54:06 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 27: We Control Our Reading + Boss My TBR Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

Bookish Moments: Kaytee's San Francisco bookstore adventure and Meredith's Wolf Hall slow read
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: Boss My TBR - helping two listeners prioritize their reading stacks
Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and TBR triage

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

:10 Bite Size Intro

1:04 - Currently Reading on Youtube

2:39 - Bookish Moments of the Week

3:13 - City Lights Bookstore

5:00 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

5:35 - Footnotes and Tangents

07:53 - Current Reads

8:01 - History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook (Kaytee)

11:18 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live

11:52 - Sphere by Michael Crichton (Meredith)

14:21 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

15:58 - The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton

16:02 - Timeline by Michael Crichton

16:15 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

16:34 - Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb (Kaytee)

22:12 - The Sleeper Lies by Andrea Mara (Meredith, Blackwell's link)

24:01 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara

26:11 - Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara

26:12 - The Other Side of the Wall by Andrea Mara (Blackwell's link)

26:54 - The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Kaytee)

28:25 - CR Season 2: Episode 22 when Kayytee first brought The Dutch House

29:20 - Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

31:48 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

33:30 - Snap by Belinda Bauer (Meredith)

37:30 - Boss My TBR

38:11 - Gretchen's Stack

For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

39:29 - Field Day Books and Bottles

39:35 - Cannon Beach Book Company

43:09 - Lauren's Stack

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

Fear and Fury by Heather Ann Thompson

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

44:26 - Fabled Bookshop

44:49 - Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson

48:32 - Before We Go

Meredith highlights bookish friend posts from the Facebook group

50:08 - Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson

50:13 - On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder

51:39 - Nothing Much Happens podcast

52:57 - Currently Reading Patreon

53:14 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

53:39 - Timeline by Michael Crichton

Kaytee's TBR Triage: Kaytee brings a book that has been on her TBR for a long time and decides whether to keep and read, or remove from her TBR.

54:28 - The Sinister Booksellers of Bath (Foyles link)

54:31 - Foyle's

54:56 - The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix (Foyles link)

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 26: The End Of An Era + Why We Re-Read Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Roxanna are discussing:

Bookish Moments: stickers on books and book metaphors
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: if we re-read and why
The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

3:06 - Ad For Ourselves

3:49 - NYT Article about book podcasts "Seven Podcasts for Bookworms"

6:16 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

6:22 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

7:32 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week

14:14 - Our Current Reads

14:25 - The Q by Beth Brower (Roxanna)

14:30 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

18:22 - For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

20:18 - Lock In by John Scalzi (Meredith)

23:30 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi

26:41 - The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine (Roxanna)

29:53 - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

32:46 - The Governess and the Rogue by Mimi Matthews (Meredith)

35:26 - The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews

35:28 - Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews

38:25 - A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar (Roxanna)

43:00 - The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (Meredith)

47:44 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

52:34 - Deep Dive: Why We Re-Read

56:59 - I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

57:42 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

1:00:02 - Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

1:01:11 - Getting Things Done by David Allen

1:01:15 - Essentialism by Greg McKeown

1:01:21 - Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

1:01:36 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

1:02:09 - The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

1:02:22 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

1:02:38 - Meet Us At The Fountain

1:04:18 - I wish to bring back the Currently Reading literary society. (Roxanna)

1:05:03 - @roxannathereader on Instagram

1:06:00 - I want to highlight the show Bookish on PBS. (Meredith)

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 25: Get Your Eyes Checked + All Things Special Editions Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

Bookish Moments: reviving the book space and recs from bookish friends
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: all things special editions
The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

1:39 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week

2:35 - Currently Reading Patreon

4:16 - Currently Reading website to find your readerly type

5:03 - Sidedoor podcast

5:29 - Sidedoor Season 11 - Poison and Poisonability

6:50 - Our Current Reads

6:58 - Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle (Kaytee)

7:13 - @booksbybrady on instagram

11:02 - Voices in the Snow by Darcy Coates (Meredith)

14:51 - Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates

16:17 - Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson (Kaytee)

17:41 - These Truths by Jill Lapore

19:37 - Two Cures for Love by Wendy Cope (Meredith, amazon link)

23:58 - The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel (Kaytee)

26:23 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

26:54 - Bear by Julia Phillips

28:02 - For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn (Meredith)

35:26 - Deep Dive: All About Special Editions

35:41 - Special Edition reel by Docofthedarkarts

36:16 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (special edition)

36:33 - OwlCrate

36:34 - Fairyloot

36:38 - Satisfiction

37:40 - Foyles

38:47 - Still Life by Louise Penny (special edition)

41:01 - Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (leatherbound edition, pre-order out Feb 26, 2026)

41:45 - Hunger Games special edition box set

42:20 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

42:24 - The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

44:29 - The Poet Empress by Shen Tao (deluxe special edition)

46:42 - Meet Us At The Fountain

47:14 - I wish to press Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (Kaytee)

47:15 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

49:01 - For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

49:25 - Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots (pre-order, releases May 19, 2026)

50:25 - If you are feeling slumpy in your reading, I wish for you to get your eyes checked! (Meredith)

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 24: Mary and Roxanna's Top Reads of 2025! Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Mary and Roxanna take the reins and are deep diving into their top reads of 2025!

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

**Please help us by filling out the LISTENER SURVEY before JANUARY 25th!!

1:21 - Mary and Roxanna's Reading Year

4:14 - Mary's Reading Stats:

100 books read this year and picked up some graphic novels that normally she wouldn't have read in the past

7:54 - Roxanna's Reading Stats:

68 books read this year.

26 five star reads

15% general fiction, 16% historical fiction, 15% lit fic, 13% middle grade, 20% POC authors, 96% fiction

12:03 - Join the Currently Reading Patreon to access the reading tracker

14:25 - Mary and Roxanna's Best Books of 2025

14:38 - The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar by Indra Das (Roxanna #10)

17:09 - Empty Cradle, Broken Heart by Deborah L. Davis

18:16 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Mary #10)

19:23 - Sandwich by Catherine Newman

19:40 - The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Z Hossain (Roxanna #9)

21:48 - Heart the Lover by Lily King (Mary #9)

22:36 - Writers & Lovers by Lily King

24:37 - The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe (Roxanna #8)

27:16 - The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Mary #8)

30:46 - To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers (Roxanna #7)

34:06 - The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Ladies of Mad Science: Secrets of the Purple Pearl by Kate McKinnon (Mary #7)

35:35 - The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

37:39 - The Unseen World by Liz Moore (Roxanna #6)

40:04 - The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (Mary #6)

42:27 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

43:09 - The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman (Roxanna #5)

45:00 - Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

46:01 - The Bones Beneath by Skin by T.J. Klune (Mary #5)

46:35 - House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

50:11 - Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Roxanna #4)

50:24 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

54:14 - The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller (Mary #4)

54:33 - Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

54:41 - The Change by Kirsten Miller

56:59 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Roxanna #3)

59:14 - Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross (Mary #3)

59:36 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

1:00:05 - Circe by Madeline Miller

1:00:07 - Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

1:01:02 - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Roxanna #2)

1:05:08 - The Correspondent by Virgina Evans (Mary #2)

1:08:17 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower (Roxanna #1 - the whole series!)

1:10:30 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

1:10:36 - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

1:14:41 - Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert (Mary #1 - the whole series!)

1:15:31 - Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert

1:15:31 - Lightfall: The Dark Times by Tim Probert

1:17:22 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Season 8, Episode 23: Slow Reads + How And Why We Rate Our Books Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

Bookish Moments: experimenting with our reading and taking on choker books
Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately
Deep Dive: answering the questions of how or why we rate our books
The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site).

2:39 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

3:01- The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor

3:05 - Bookshelf Thomasville

3:07 - From the Front Porch podcast

3:31 - It by Stephen King

4:53 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (#1 in the Cromwell series)

5:30 - Footnotes and Tangents on Instagram

6:45 - The Stand by Stephen King

6:47 - Laura Tremaine on Substack

8:52 - Our Current Reads

9:00 - Matched by Ally Condie (Kaytee)

9:32 - The Giver by Lois Lowry

11:26 - The Selection by Kiera Cass

11:30 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

13:04 - Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Meredith)

14:45 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

18:15 - Cultish by Amanda Montell (Kaytee)

18:21 - Wordslut by Amanda Montell

21:52 - Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain (Meredith)

23:00 - The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

23:35 - The Painted Porch

23:40 - The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holliday

26:05 - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

27:37 - When the Tides Held the Moon by Vanessa Vida Kelley (Kaytee)

30:43 - CAWPILE

31:38 - The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (Meredith)

35:51 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

36:28 - The Last Flight by Julie Clark

36:50 - Deep Dive: How And Why We Rate Our Reads

37:53 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

37:59 - Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

38:04 - Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes

38:14 - Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito

49:41 - CAWPILE system

51:53 - Meet Us At The Fountain

52:41 - I wish that we would all pick one small way to challenge our reading this year. (Kaytee)

54:23 - I wish you would sign up for our newsletter! (Meredith)

54:25 - Sign up for the newsletter on our website

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.
Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.
All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller
From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry
The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

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