What Should I Read Next?

Latest Episodes:

Ep 416: Compelling, emotionally honest storytelling Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

In today's conversation, Anne helps Reagan Jackson find compelling reads that tell good stories.

Reagan is a Seattle-based journalist and co-executive director of Young Women Empowered. She’s also the author of the forthcoming book, Still True: The Evolution of a Reluctant Journalist, which tells stories of Seattle's Black and intersectional community.

Today, Reagan and I talk her recent sabbatical travels as well as what's happening lately in her reading life. From her search for emotionally honest romance to the popular classic she hates and the memoirs she can’t put down, Reagan's excited to find some fresh discoveries in the genres she loves and those she's just started to explore, like graphic novels. Anne gives Reagen suggestions for the types of stories she’s eager to explore right now.

Find the full list of titles mentioned today and leave your suggestions for Reagan on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/416.

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Ep 415: Reading + wintering Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

Natalie Nava's guest submission caught our team's eye as a particularly timely topic for January: she was eager to talk to Anne about reading as it relates to wintering, burnout, and recovery.

After a decade of working in social advocacy, Natalie realized back in 2020 that she was dealing with serious burnout. One of the clues that something needed to change was Natalie's realization that, despite being an avid reader, she'd barely read any books in a few years.

Natalie decided it was time to act: she quit her job and moved to Portland, and since then, she's reclaimed reading as one of her favorite pastimes.

We know many readers might see themselves in Natalie's story, and today she and Anne are talking about the techniques that Natalie used to recover from her serious burnout. Anne also adds titles to Natalie's winter reading queue, including suggestions for the genres Natalie's excited to explore in the year ahead.

Find the full list of titles mentioned today and connect with Natalie on Goodreads. We have all of those links on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/415, where we'd love to see your recommendations for Natalie in our comments section.

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Ep 414: Reading on a budget and thriving Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

Today’s guest reached out seeking help with a specific reading dilemma. We loved her request, and we’re sure it's something many readers have experienced.

Amy's joining Anne on the show today from her Vermont home on 11 acres where she homeschools her teenager, works as a part-time sustainability consultant, and cares for an eclectic collection of pets! Amy has always loved to read, but recently, her family’s budget has shifted. She's always been a library user, but lately she's looking for new perspectives on what her financial change means for her reading life.

Anne and Amy talk about reframing Amy's reading selections so she doesn’t feel like she’s missing out when she can’t read a new release right away. And, Anne shares some suggestions on how Amy can turn this unplanned for-reality into a lovely limitation.

Find the full list of titles discussed today at our show notes page, and while you're there, let us know if you have suggestions for Amy, too: that's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/414.

Our Spring Book Preview, one of our signature bookish experiences, is happening January 25, and there are three ways to experience it yourself: join us on Patreon with a monthly or annual pledge, become a member of our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, or purchase an a la carte ticket. Find out more and select the best option for you at modernmrsdarcy.com/sbp.

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Ep 413: Literary trends and publishing predictions for 2024 Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

You're likely familiar with the work of today's guest: literary agent Elisabeth Weed, of the boutique literary agency The Book Group. Elisabeth has had a hand in bringing you many recent popular titles, and today she and Anne talking about the current literary landscape.

From the trends Elisabeth is seeing (and what they mean for readers and writers) to how TikTok continues to influence the book trade, they cover a lot of ground in today's conversation. Elisabeth also shares her predictions for 2024 and a few of the titles she’s most excited about for late 2023 and early 2024.

Listen in for a good behind-the-scenes look at the factors shaping today’s literary offerings, plus a few choice book recommendations on titles you might otherwise miss.

Find the full list of books mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/413.

Our big Spring Book Preview is happening Thursday January 25 at 8:30pm EST. Access this fun live event by becoming a Patron, joining our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, or purchasing your a la carte ticket at modernmrsdarcy.com/sbp.

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Ep 412: Anne's best books of 2023 Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

Last year, we had so much fun putting together an episode featuring Anne's favorite reads, and it was a listener favorite, too! We're back today with the 2023 edition: Anne is again joined by her husband and show producer Will Bogel to talk all about her reading superlatives from last year.

Choosing the best books from a full year of reading is tough as well as fascinating, and today Anne shares her own best, favorite, and most memorable reading experiences of 2023. She'll also take you along in her process of evaluating what she read over the year and deciding how to select her favorites.

We'd love to know if any of these made your top reads of the year, or if you have other titles you'd like to share: let us know in the comments section on our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/412.

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Ep 411: Super-seasonal reading, all year long Dec 19, 2023

Show notes

Today, Anne is joined by Kim Hewlett to talk about creating a year of seasonal reading. Kim and her family relocated to Iowa a few years back, which led Kim to realize just how much she enjoys pairing books with the seasons. Kim's set a 2024 reading goal to reach for the right books at just the right time, no matter the time of year.

Kim's name may sound familiar: last fall Anne spoke with her daughter Noa in Episode 347: A reader's guide to tricky transitions. Today, Kim's excited to talk with Anne about leaning into a year of seasonally appropriate book selections. This is a theme we've heard repeatedly from our listeners lately, so we thought this could be really helpful for many of you: instead of recommending three books to Kim's particular taste, Anne recommends a whole bunch of books that take place during specific seasons and key moments, milestones, and holidays throughout the year.

We hope today's roundup of a whole year's worth of reading recommendations will tide you over for an extra week. This is our last episode of 2023, before our team takes some time off to enjoy relaxing (and reading, of course) over the holidays. We'll be back on January 2 with our next episode.

Find the complete list of all of the titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/411. While you're there, be sure to check out our shop: we have some great last-minute gifts, like a membership to our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. Gift your favorite reader a 3, 6, or 12 month membership: since it's digital, it's easy to deliver anywhere, anytime. Find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.

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Ep 410: Building a TBR for a bucket list trip Dec 12, 2023

Show notes

We all know that travel and reading go really well together. Today's guest, Dana Prescott, is looking for books to help prepare for her upcoming bucket list trip: she and her husband are taking ten weeks to travel to Australia and Southeast Asia next spring.

Dana loves to travel, and she'll often learn more about her destinations beforehand by reading books that represent the countries in question. We got doubly excited about Dana's project here at What Should I Read Next? because not only does it sound amazing, but we also have a team member who is perfectly positioned to support Dana's reading request. Our media production specialist, Holly Wielkoszewski, has spent the last six months traveling through the very same countries Dana is making her big plans for. I invited Holly to join me today as guest recommender, and she has book ideas galore for Dana.

Listen in to hear which books Dana will load her pre-travel to-be-read list with, and find the full list of titles mentioned at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/410.

If you're still on the hunt for a perfect gift for your favorite reader, gifting a reading journal might be just the ticket. We have two in our shop and out on bookshelves everywhere: My Reading Life, which is created for adults, and My Reading Adventures, designed for kids ages 8 to 12 (but used and loved by readers of all ages.) Order your copy of one or both journals wherever you like to buy your books, or order signed and even personalized copies from modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.

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Ep 409: Stories you can't stop thinking about Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

Our guest today may be familiar to many of you: Ariel Lawhon was one of Anne's early guests, back in Episode 15, and Anne recently recommended Ariel's new book The Frozen River in Episode 393.

Today, Ariel is joining Anne to talk about books and publishing, from Ariel's new release, to the unexpected way her books have aligned with the literary Zeitgeist. They also explore why some stories stay with you long after you finish them, and discuss their mutual love for seasoned female protagonists.

Ariel wraps up by sharing some of her favorite books and the titles high on her to-be-read list. We've collected the full list of titles mentioned today at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/409.

If you're hunting for a great gift for any style of reader or anyone who shares the love of a good book, Anne's book I'd Rather Be Reading might be just what you're looking for. Make it even more meaningful by getting your copy signed and personalized, or pairing it with one of our totes, some bookplates, or a sticker. Place your order at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.

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Ep 408: Reading around the world Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

We love a creative reading project, so when Allison Virtue told us about her global reading project, we couldn’t wait to hear more.

Allison lives in Los Angeles, where she's set a goal to read a book written by an author from every country. We've had unique reading projects like Allison's on the show in the past: you may recall Episode 168: A century of good books (in a single year).

When it comes to Allison's goal of reading around the world, she’s made good headway so far but she’d appreciate Anne's help in discovering titles to add to her global to-be-read list. Anne and Allison discuss her project as well as how Allison recovered from a recent reading slump, and Anne offers tips to help Allison more easily find titles that fit her project's criteria. Anne also suggests some titles Allison can add to her global reading list today.

Find the full list of books mentioned today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/408. And, be sure to check out our Modern Mrs Darcy store: we have a great selection of small gifts and accessories that pair well with a good book for your favorite reader. Explore our shop at modernmrsdarcy.com/store, where you can also order signed and personalized copies of Anne's books just in time for holiday gifting.

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Ep 407: Knitting unraveled my reading life Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

Today's guest loves to read, but she also loves to knit: how can she find the books to hold her attention so she's not tempted to pick up her knitting needles?

Patty Brown lives in Bend, Oregon, where she enjoys outdoor activities like cycling, as well as indoor activities like knitting. She's been a reader in the past, but lately she's struggled to find the books she'll find too compelling to put down. In fact, it's been such a long time since Patty felt connected to her reading life, that when she ventures into the bookstore looking for inspiration, it backfires: when faced with all those options, Patty feels like a deer in the headlights—and ends up leaving empty-handed.

Today, Anne talks with Patty about finding the books that are right for this moment in her reading life, as well as techniques that might make her feel more comfortable the next time she visits her neighborhood bookstore.

Find the full list of titles we discussed in today's episode, and leave your suggestions for Patty, at our show notes page: that's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/407.

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