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**Well-Read**

As librarians, books are kind of our thing. Listen in as we talk about what we’re reading, make book recommendations, and all sorts of book-related fun.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 167 - Reading from our TBRs: Pink Covers Feb 14, 2026

Show notes

Get in the mood for Valentine’s Day (and to clear space off your shelves) when we tackle the pink books on our TBRs!

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:

Ann’s picks:

Halle’s picks:

The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson
– Jenny Colgan books
– Clare Pooley books
– Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
Lovely War by Julie Berry
– Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm
– Ali Hazelwood books

What We’re Reading This Week:

Ann: King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
– S.A. Cosby books
Halle: Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
– The Last Word by Taylor Adams
– Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

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Episode 166 - Winter/Spring 2026 Book Preview Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

It’s a new year and we’re so excited about the roster of books coming out in 2026! Find out what we can’t wait to dive into this winter and spring.

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:

Jane Austen books
Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love by Samin Nosrat
Amity by Nathan Harris
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy
The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover
Heart the Lover by Lily King
An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz
I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

Ann’s picks:

This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman (releases February 10)
– Isola by Allegra Goodman
– Sam by Allegra Goodman
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (releases February 17)
– The Empress of Rome series by Kate Quinn
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett (releases February 17)
– Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett
My Grandfather, the Master Detective by Masateru Konishi (releases March 17)
The Shock of the Light by Lori Inglis Hall (releases March 17)
The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (releases April 7)
– Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
– The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke (releases April 7)
– V.E. Schwab books
– Cat Clarke books
– Anthony Horowitz books
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker (releases April 21)
– Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

Halle’s picks:

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page (releases February 3)
Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson (releases February 10)
– The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder (releases February 10)
– People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder
– People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Kin by Tayari Jones (releases March 17)
– An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
– The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman (releases March 3)
– The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Whidbey by T. Kira Madden (releases March 10)
– Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (releases April 7)
– Diabolical Lies (podcast)
– Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer
Unbound by Peyton Corinne (releases April 7)
– Unsteady by Peyton Corinne
– Unloved by Peyton Corinne

What We’re Reading This Week:

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Episode 165 - Reading Resolutions and 2025 Superlatives Jan 11, 2026

Show notes

We’re making reading resolutions for 2026 and giving out our 2025 book superlatives! Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Lauren Bacall filmographyJane Austen booksEmma by Jane AustenLibba Bray booksBook of the Month ClubAtomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James ClearEmily Henry booksPeople We Meet on Vacation by Emily HenryWomen’s Prize for FictionNext Chapter Society Book ClubThe Wedding People by Alison EspachWuthering Heights by Emily BrontëWar and Peace by Leo TolstoyRomanceopoly 2026Under the Covers (blog)@booksandlala on InstagramThrone of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas Most TimelyAnn: Jane Austen: A Life by Claire TomalinHalle: The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami Most DisappointingAnn: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez; Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See; Knife by Salman RushdieHalle: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese; Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry; Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab– Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese Favorite RereadAnn: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; Outlander by Diana Gabaldon– Persuasion by Jane Austen– Kristin Atherton filmographyHalle: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry; Beartown by Fredrik Backman Biggest SurpriseAnn: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis– Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome– Terry Pratchett books– Neil Gaiman booksHalle:The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith; Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman Least FavoriteAnn: The 23rd Hero by Rebecca Anne Nguyen; Shelterwood by Lisa WingateHalle: The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb Book That Lived Up to the Hype:Ann: The Favorites by Layne Fargo; Long Bright River by Liz Moore; A Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaHalle: Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino;The Will of the Many by James IslingtonBest DistractionAnn: The Goldens by Lauren WilsonHalle: If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia; Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz The Book That Ended a Mini Reading SlumpAnn: Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall– Broadchurch (TV)Halle: Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry Most UnputdownableAnn: Last Bus to Woodstock by Colin Dexter; A Killing Cold by Kate Alice MarshallHalle: Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino; Like a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayer; Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros– Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros Better Late Than NeverAnn: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara; The Housemaid by Freida McFadden; A Tale of Two Cities by Charles DickensHalle: The Beartown trilogy by Fredrik Backman; Kindred by Octavia Butler Book That Has Stayed With MeAnn: The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali; The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham JonesHalle: The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett; Audition by Katie Kitamura Book That We Didn’t Think We’d Like, But Then We Did!Ann: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty; The Lack of Light by Nino HaratischwiliHalle:Wreck by Catherine Newman Author(s) we discovered in 2024 that we’re most excited to read more from in 2025Ann: Kylie Lee Baker; Michiko Aoyama– Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker– What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama– Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker– Hot Chocolate on Thursdays by Michiko AoyamaHalle: Elizabeth O’Roark; Rachel Gillig; Ashley Manley– The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig– One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig– Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig– The Holiday Club by Ashley Manley Hidden Gem:Ann: The Bad Seed by William March– The Bad Seed (film)Halle: The Safekeep by Yael van der WoudenBest Audiobook Experience of the Year:Ann: Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto; Finding Grace by Loretta RothschildHalle: The Favorites by Layne Fargo; The River Has Roots by Amal el-Mohtar Our Favorite Non-Book Media Property of the YearAnn: Becoming Led Zeppelin; Friendship; Art for Everybody; Toshiro Mifune everything– Tim Robinson filmography– Paul Rudd filmography– Akira Kurosawa filmography– Toshiro Mifune filmographyHalle: The Pitt; Man on the Inside; puppies! The Book We Recommended the Most This YearAnn: The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip FracassiHalle: Heart the Lover by Lily King What We’re Reading This Week: Ann: Prize for the Fire by Rilla Askew Halle: Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams– When in Rome series by Sarah Adams Well-Read on FacebookWell-Read on BookshopWell-Read on Instagram

Full show notes at the publisher

Episode 164 - Our Favorite Books of 2025 Dec 20, 2025

Show notes

The year is almost over, and it’s time to reveal our favorite books of 2025! Happy Holidays from your friends at Well-Read!

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:
Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Jane Austen books
Agatha Christie books
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
What You’re Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
Ready or Not by Cara Bastone
Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman
If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
Alchemised by SenLinYu