What Should I Read Next? – Details, episodes & analysis

Today we're back with the 2024 installment of our popular summer reading roundup, where members of our team pair up to talk about their favorite summer reads. You'll hear our team in conversation today, exploring our summer reading experiences and the titles we can't stop talking about. Around here we talk books all year round, but episodes like these are especially fun, and always mean we're adding a bunch of new titles to our own to-be-read lists. We read widely around here, so no matter what you love to read, we think you'll hear a title that catches your attention today. Find the full list of titles mentioned and leave a comment to share your summer reading superlatives at our show notes page: whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/444. Just in time for fall, we've released a fresh and fun collection of merch! From fun new buttons and sticker designs to favorites like our To Be Read tote and our Book Camp sweatshirts, you're sure to find something delightful. See all our merch and shop at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A limited reading selection often leads to delightful serendipity, and today Anne's chatting with a guest who has had just that experience. Rachel Elaine Martens and her family recently lived in Budapest for a year. During this time, Rachel Elaine had access to her U.S. library's virtual collection, but she also made use of a small shelf of left-behind books in the house she was staying in. Now that she's back home in Missouri with a broader selection of choices, she'd like to keep that serendipitous flair while also inviting more of an intentional flow into her book selections. Rachel Elaine enjoys picking up her latest library discovery, but she'd love to discern a clearer arc to her reading selections and feel less whiplash from constantly jumping between genres that feel like they have nothing in common other than coming up on her library holds list. Rachel Elaine has a definite preference for backlist books, too, and today Anne suggests titles to create the intentional reading experience Rachel Elaine's seeking. Find the full list of titles mentioned in today's episode at our show notes page, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/443. Ready for even more great reading? Join us on Wednesday, September 18th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview. During this live event, we will walk through some of the most anticipated titles of the fall season, including the books Anne has read and loved, and the titles she can't wait to read. Members of our Patreon community and our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club are invited to join us: this event is a perk of membership in those communities. Our Fall Book Preview is also available a la carte for those that just want to join us for this one event. Find out more and sign up at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Readers, we're back with the 2022 edition of our team's favorite summer reads! This tradition started with a Patreon bonus episode back in 2020, and it's continued since then right here on our podcast feed. As a team of devout readers, in between creating this podcast and the other Modern Mrs Darcy work we do each week, we do a lot (and we mean a LOT) of talking about books. Today, we're sharing some of those conversations with you. We've gathered into three different groups to talk about what summer reading means to us, what we've loved so far this season, and what we're looking forward to reading next. Our team's reading tastes are diverse, and we hope you'll hear us talk about a title that catches your interest, too. We mention a lot of titles today, and we've collected the full list along with handy links over at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/344. Be sure to let us know in the comments if you've read and loved any of the books our team shares today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we love sharing book recommendations each week, we also take great pleasure in helping our guests overcome whatever reading-related struggle they're facing at the moment. Today, Anne's talking to a guest who is torn between reading for pleasure and reading the books they feel they should be reading … even if they don’t enjoy the experience.  Academic librarian Lorelei Rutledge is clear on what's working in their reading life, and they regularly turn to the specific genre that always brings them joy and delight. But Lorelei also feels a pressure to read books that are "serious" or "important", or on "everyone's" shelf right now. They've tried some of the books they'd define this way, but the reading experience usually leaves them less than satisfied. In today's conversation, Anne and Lorelei talk about what these words actually mean and how they might help guide Lorelei's reading life in the future, and Anne encourages Lorelei to overcome their book shame once and for all. See all of the titles we discussed today, and leave your own suggestions for Lorelei, at our show notes page. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/343. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Readers, today's guest shares a common reader struggle: finding the time to read! Today, Mattie James—a successful business owner and new author, releasing her first book Everyday Magic later this month—joins Anne to talk about her love of reading nonfiction. But as a busy professional, Mattie often finds it hard to make the time to read. She's looking for solutions to make the most of her time reading, even if it's just for a few minutes. Mattie grew up with a love of reading nurtured by her father, and these days she turns to books to inspire and guide her. She appreciates nonfiction that invites her reconsider her assumptions and look at things from a different perspective. When she finds a gem of a read, she'll waste no time in enthusiastically recommending it to her online community.   Today, Anne and Mattie talk about strategies to work more reading into a busy life, and Anne recommends nonfiction titles that will have a positive impact in Mattie's life and work. Leave your own recommendations for Mattie and see the full list of books mentioned on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/342. Anne's new reading journal for kids My Reading Adventures is now available wherever you get your books–and just in time to make it a fun back-to-school treat for the young reader in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Around here, we love celebrating reading memories and creating new ones, and today's show does just that! Anne's newest book journal for young readers, ​My Reading Adventures​, is out today—and to celebrate the power of reading in young lives, we asked our listeners to share some of ​their​ favorite childhood reading memories. Anne's here, too, of course, with some moments that stand out in her reading memory. Plus, in today's episode we embark on a journey between the pages of My Reading Adventures, sharing the fun features that make it a perfect reading companion for 8-12 year old readers, or anyone young at heart. Tell us your favorite childhood reading memories by leaving a comment over on our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/341. Get your copy of My Reading Adventures from any of these online retailers or from your local book seller: Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop Books-A-Million Christianbook Book Depository Carmichael’s Bookstore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, Anne is chatting with author, actress, and audiobook narrator Julia Whelan. You may know Julia from her novel My Oxford Year, or her new book releasing August 2nd, Thank You For Listening, and many readers are also familiar with Julia's voice from her many audiobook narrations. Anne and Julia chat about the art and process of creating the audiobooks so many readers love, and reflect on the joys and challenges of the professional reading life, before sharing a long list of titles they've loved. Whether you're already a fan of Julia's or you're just discovering her today, you'll walk away with some recommendations of books that especially shine on audio, and some new insight into this creative side of the book industry. You can find Julia on Twitter, and be sure to check out our show notes page for links to the titles we discussed today. Leave us a comment on that post to share your favorite audiobook! That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/340. My Reading Adventures, Anne's new book journal for young readers, comes out next Tuesday, August 2nd! It takes the thoughtful features, useful tools, and inspiring book nerdery from her adult journal, My Reading Life, and presents it in a fun and approachable format that’s perfect for your eight to 12-year-old reader. When you order your copy before August 2nd, you’ll get an assortment of bonuses as a thank you: an exclusive digital reading list featuring my top picks for kids and adorable and useful custom stickers sent directly to your mailbox. Visit modernmrsdarcy.com/kidsjournal to find links to buy your copy from your favorite bookseller and claim your bonuses once you’ve ordered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrien Kordas has always identified as a reader, and in the past few years she's been excited about completing grad school so she could devote more time to reading for fun. But now that she actually has the time to read at whim, she's been surprised to find that the kind of titles she's loved in the past aren't working as well for her, and she's not sure what to do about it. In today's conversation, Anne and Adrien talk about recapturing the childhood magic of reading and what to do when your reading tastes evolve. Anne makes some recommendations to welcome Adrien into this new stage of her reading life. If you have a recommendation for Adrien, let us know in the comments over at our show notes page, where you'll also find the link to Adrien's instagram account and a full list of the titles we discussed today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/339. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Readers, we're so excited to share today's collaboration with you. Anne is joined on the show today by Craig Getting and Andrew Cunningham, hosts of the show Overdue–a podcast about the books you’ve been meaning to read. On their podcast, Craig and Andrew explore the backlist titles many readers feel like they “should” have read by now, but today, Anne, Craig, and Andrew talk about a wide range of bookish topics, from the perks of having a built-in reading buddy, to the titles they would never have read if not for the show and ended up LOVING. They also share how much their reading lives have improved through reading books they didn't love. Anne wraps up the conversation by sharing a few titles Craig and Andrew will want to add to their personal reading lists. See the full list of titles mentioned during today's show on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/338, and connect with Craig and Andrew at their website, on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices