What Should I Read Next?

Latest Episodes:

Ep 436: The reality of bookworm problems Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

Today we are kicking off a summer series from the What Should I Read Next? archives: we're sharing the first episodes and sometimes the very first conversations Anne had with readers that are now members of our team.

Many of you know our team members by name, and you have a good sense of their reading tastes, too. But we also know that many of you are new around here, or haven't yet had the chance to listen to all 400-plus episodes, so you don't know our team members as well.

Whether you've heard these episodes before or you're hearing them for the first time, we're certain you'll enjoy these introductions to some of the people who help make the book magic happen around here.

The first episode in our team series originally aired as Episode 9 from all the way back in 2016 as Anne talks with now-Modern Mrs. Darcy editor and social media manager, Leigh Kramer. At that time, Leigh was living in San Francisco, where she identified herself as a full-time book nerd, fried pickle connoisseur, and lifetime White Sox fan. While Leigh lives in Chicago now, she still has strong opinions about her books, which makes for a delightful conversation.

In this episode, Leigh and Anne discuss the nearly perfect novel that she adored and happened to be all wrong for Anne. Leigh also shares the books she read at just the right time and a variety of very real bookworm problems, before Anne recommends titles for Leigh's next read.

This episode was a really interesting time capsule because Leigh and Anne discuss some books that Leigh wouldn't choose and Anne wouldn't recommend for her today. We'll discuss those changes in her reading life more over on Patreon.

Find the full list of titles mentioned today, along with links for other places you'll find Leigh and our team, over on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/436.

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Ep 435: A deep dive through a massive TBR Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

Today's guest is a native Parisian who is planning a road trip this summer to the northern Alps of Italy to escape the Summer Olympics. Corinne Yan is here today to get Anne's help in discovering great audiobooks to pair with this long drive.

But before diving into recommendations, Anne and Corinne chat about Corinne's dreamy book job: she works as a book restorer at the oldest French public library, the Bibliothèque Mazarine. Corinne's work allows her to restore a wide range of documents, from 78 CE papyri to Middle Age religious manuscripts to 19th century Napoleon caricatures.

In addition to crafting Corinne's summer audiobook list, she and Anne chat about Corinne's To Be Read list, which has more than 1,700 titles on it right now. Anne has ideas for how Corinne might be able to balance the occasional reread of beloved books with the intentional pursuit of new-to-her reading experiences as she strikes some titles off of this massive list.

Find the full list of titles mentioned today and connect with Corinne at the link in our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/435.

If you're still planning your summer reading, there's still time to get your 2024 Summer Reading Guide if you haven't already devoured your copy. Buy your guide a la carte, or join one of our reading communities, and your guide (as well as all of the archives from past years!) is included. Choose the best option to unlock your summer reading at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.

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Ep 434: Hospitable books with a strong sense of welcome Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

Reading offers a wide range of vicarious experiences, and today's guest is looking for books that make her feel warmly welcome.

Adrianne Carnes is a bookseller and marketing director for a local independent bookstore in Texas, where she loves to create an inviting space for the readers who frequent her shop. Adrianne's interest in hospitality started in her youth, when she traveled often with her parents and was charmed by her experiences.

These days, Adrianne enjoys finding inviting books as well as stories set in a hotel or restaurant, but finding the right titles feels overwhelming. Today Anne helps Adrianne navigate the massive availability of interesting books and discuss how to know she's found a title that feels worth spending time on. Anne closes with recommendations of books that offer a sense of hospitality and welcome.

Find the full list of titles mentioned today and share your recommendations for Adrianne on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/434.

What Should I Read Next? is sponsored by BetterHelp.

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Ep 433: I'm not afraid of a fifty-hour audiobook Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

Audiobook lovers, today's conversation will help you make the most of your audiobook credits, whether you love short or long listens.

Stephanie Van Parys is a devoted gardener in Decatur, Georgia, where she loves to pair audiobooks with working in the dirt. Since she discovered this way of merging her two passions back in 2020, she's never looked back: these days almost all her reading is done in audio format.

Today, Anne and Stephanie talk about the audiobooks that keep Stephanie weeding, and the fresh perspectives she'd love to bring into her listening routine. Stephanie would especially love to discover new-to-her authors from places other than the US or the UK, which you will hear more about in today's show. Anne has suggestions to keep Stephanie's summer reading in bloom.

Visit our show notes page to see how you can connect with Stephanie, and view the full list of titles mentioned in today's conversation. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/433.

Shop summer merch and check out our assortment of fun bookish items, like our Book Camp shirts, new stickers (we especially love the Read! pennant sticker), links to all of Anne's books, our archive of seasonal reading guides, and more. See what catches your eye at modernmrsdarcy.com.shop.

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Ep 432: Live from Word of South: Lauren Groff talks Time 100, her new bookstore, and Florida! May 28, 2024

Show notes

Joining Anne today in a live conversation from the recent Word of South festival is listener favorite Lauren Groff!

This conversation happened in the midst of a big moment for Lauren: she was recently recognized on the Time 100 list, and her new bookstore, The Lynx, just opened in Gainesville, Florida.

Lauren and Anne talk about what led Lauren to open The Lynx and her goals for this new independent bookstore. Their discussion explores a range of readerly topics, like Lauren's love for short stories, her writing process, the intersection of music and writing, and exploring stereotypes in real life and on the page. They also touch on the connection between Lauren, Florence Welch, and the Taylor Swift song, Florida!, and Lauren shares the book she's recommending lately.

Chime in with the books you'd love to buy from The Lynx in the comments section of our show notes page, where we've also compiled the full list of titles discussed today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/432.

If you love being among book people, you'll love our Patreon community, where we create weekly bonus episodes that keep our patrons close to the pulse of what's happening in the book world. This month, we're sharing bonus episodes that augment our Summer Reading Guide, like great books Anne didn't include in the guide and why, and a dedicated mini matchmaking session that pairs patrons with their perfect Summer Reading Guide titles. We're so grateful for our patrons and their support of our show. If you're curious, come and check out our Patreon community.

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Ep 431: Live from The Bookshelf: Let's talk summer books! May 21, 2024

Show notes

Join us today for the second in a series of three live events! While Anne was on the road recently, she had the opportunity to stop by fantastic independent bookstore The Bookshelf, in Thomasville, Georgia, for the first time since 2018.

During this live event, Anne spoke with host and owner Annie B. Jones about summer reading alongside a crowd of friendly and enthusiastic readers. Annie and Anne discussed perennial summer favorites and newer titles that took them by surprise. Plus, Anne shares a bit about what goes into creating our annual Summer Reading Guide that came out last week. Their conversation today will whet your appetite for summer reading of any flavor.

Find the list of titles mentioned today and links to connect with The Bookshelf at our show notes page: whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/431.

If today's conversation has you even more excited for summer reading, grab yourself a copy of our 2024 Summer Reading Guide!Get your guide today at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.

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Ep 430: Summer Reading Guide 2024: We're going to Book Camp! May 14, 2024

Show notes

This week is all about summer reading, because our 2024 Summer Reading Guide is out this Thursday! Our Summer Reading Guide is one of the highlights of our year. Anne spends months reading and vetting both anticipated new releases and under-the-radar gems, resulting in the guide's list of 42 titles with something for every reader.

Joining Anne today in sharing our excitement for the Summer Reading Guide Unboxing is our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger Horton. Ginger and Anne have talked summer books before and that conversation was a delight, so we can't wait for you to listen in to today's conversation. They explore this year's Summer Reading Guide theme, give you a sneak peak at a title (or two) on this year's list, and share other favorite summer reads across the years.

As always, you'll find a list of the titles mentioned today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/430.

There's still time to pre-order your guide and join us for the live Unboxing party on May 16th. To get all of the details, visit modernmrsdarcy.com/srg

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Ep 429: Live from Word of South: the books we can't stop recommending May 07, 2024

Show notes

Anne recently attended Tallahassee’s recent Word of South Festival of Literature and Music, and today we're sharing her live conversation about all things reading with Festival Director Sara Marchessault and Kati Schardl.

Book festivals offer so much potential for discovery, by connecting readers with writers they already love, new authors to experience, and often, books that capture the spirit of the region. Today, Sara, Kati and Anne talk about the books they've been reading lately, the titles they can’t stop recommending to others, the epic fails when these recommendations fall flat, and what they learn about themselves and other readers in the process.

They wrap up with some great conversation on summer reading moods, and Anne recommends a handful of titles they can add to their summer reading stacks. Find that list of the titles mentioned in today's conversation at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/429.

For more live book talk with our great community, join us for our thirteenth annual Summer Reading Guide launch party. Listen in as Anne takes you through 42 hand-selected reads to pair with your summer adventures and activities. Join us on May 16th - find out more, save your seat, and pre-order your guide right here.

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Ep 428: Recreating the magic of your first reading experience Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

Today's guest enjoys tackling heavy topics in her reading, but today she's here for Anne's help to bring more levity to her reading rotation.

As a South African of Indian descent, Natasha Govender appreciates reading real life stories from authors across the globe. These stories help her connect with the human experiences behind the pages, but she'd love to balance these emotional stories with titles that are just plain fun.

Natasha's especially interested in discovering Brown voices writing stories that feel joyful and celebratory. If these books come from the fantasy, thriller, or middle grade shelves, even better. And, because Natasha loves to reread the books she loves best, she and Anne focus on finding titles to add to Natasha's to-be-read list that she'll connect with on the first read, and love enough to read again and again.

Find the full list of titles discussed in today's episode and leave your recommendations for Natasha at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/428.

Our summer merch shop is open! Pair your stack of summer reads with a cozy t-shirt, a tote that's perfect for library hauls, bookish stickers, and more. Explore our latest merch selections at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.

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Ep 427: The collaborative act of reading Apr 23, 2024

Show notes

Connecting with authors is always a treat, and today we're bringing you a recent conversation between Anne and author Thao Thai. Thao joined us in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club last year to discuss her debut novel Banyan Moon, a juicy family drama that explores what makes a home, the secrets we keep, inheritance and immigrant stories, and so much more.

In today's episode, Thao and Anne talk about how this unique story came to be and the story behind the book's striking cover, and Thao answers a variety of questions from our Book Club members. We also hear about Thao’s forthcoming rom-com, Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour—which she is releasing under the pen name Nora Nyguen.

Whether or not you’ve read Banyan Moon, we think you’ll love listening in to today’s spoiler-free conversation, which we've lightly edited from the original live Book Club Event. Find the full list of titles mentioned in today's conversation at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/427

If you loved today's episode, you'll find more conversations like these in our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community. When you sign up this week, your first month of membership will also include our 2024 Summer Reading Guide and unboxing book party. We’d love to have you join us—find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/club.

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