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

• Bookish Moments: Scottish books and author interviews

• Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

• Deep Dive: we gush about our travels and our favorite bookshops we got to visit

• 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)

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1:24 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

1:52 - Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Episode 152 Feat. Liz Nugent

2:01 - Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

3:07 - Waypoints by Sam Heughan

3:19 - The Clanlands Almanac: Season Stories from Scotland by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish

4:45 - andythehighlander on Instagram

5:32 - Current Reads

5:53 - None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell (Meredith)

11:03 - How Not To Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz (Kaytee)

15:10 - A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers (Meredith)

19:21 - Congratulations, The Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas (Kaytee)

19:35 - Here For It by R. Eric Thomas

23:19 - The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins (Meredith)

27:01 - Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

27:14 - The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger (note: Meredith says “Hotchburger” in the episode. Apologies for the confusion!)

27:16 - Aurora by David Koepp

27:38 - Not Too Late by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua

28:39 - The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg (Kaytee)

32:35 - Deep Dive: Recapping Our European Vacations

34:00 - Blackwell’s UK

35:57 - Foyles 

36:15 - Daunt Books

45:19 - Toppings and Company

45:45 - Word on the Water

47:29 - Currently Reading Patreon

47:58 - The Novel Neighbor

49:01 - Meet Us At The Fountain

49:30 - If you want creepy and monsters in your reads, I wish you’d try Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. (Meredith)

49:57 - Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

50:47 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

52:05 - I wish book club stickers would be actual stickers. (Kaytee)

52:47 - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

52:50 - Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

53:53 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

53:56 - Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the independent bookstore of the month. October’s IPL is curated by The Novel Neighbor. Visit them on Instagram

• Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

• All Things Murderful - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

• The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

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!

Welcome, readers. We are so excited to continue this new content from the creators of Currently Reading Podcast! This spin-off podcast series will tackle book to screen adaptations in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you’ve read the book and watched the film version before listening to the episode, because we don’t shy away from strong opinions OR from all the spoilers, unlike our regular episodes.

Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped, but will still include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. These are affiliate links, so they kick back a small percentage to us if you buy through them, and help support the work we do on Currently Reading.

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Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

2:39 - Here’s the Setup

3:26 - Previews:

Book Name and release date. Sales info and awards.

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Movie name and release date. Box office and awards.

Red, White and Royal Blue on Amazon Prime

10:03 - The Cutting Room:

Pivotal Book scenes and how they translated to the screen.

Cakegate

V&A Museum

Hospital Visit

Emails and text messages

History, huh?

Anything left out that shouldn’t have been.

June Claremont! The White House Trio!

Mostly characters!

Divorce storyline

Nuance in the book

25:47 - skip ahead to skip the sex talk

29:18 - you can come back now. We’re all done with that section.

Casting and mis-casting.

Alex - Taylor Zakhar Perez

Michael Cimino

Noah Centineo

Anthony Ramos

Henry - Nicholas Galatzine

Timothee Chalamet

Tom Holland

Cole Sprouse

Ellen - Uma Thurman

Connie Britton

Laura Dern (throwback to Jurassic Park)

Amy - Aneesh Sheth

Pez - Malcolm Atobrah

Ncuti Gatwa

Zahra, Oscar, Cash

Problematic elements.

Openly acknowledging the diversity of cast and characters

40:21 - Award Season:

Worst and best parts of the adaptation.

Absence of June

Dumbing down of the story

Losing the fall into love

Shirtless and nekkid shots

Good romance scenes

Worst and best actors.

Oscar

Alex (Taylor)

Henry

Worst and best book characters.

Prince Philip

Raphael Luna

Congressman Richards

June

Ellen

Alex

53:12 - Book/Flick Energy:

Book scored on a 5 star scale.

Book on Goodreads

Movie scored on a 10 point scale.

Movie on Rotten Tomatoes

Single All the Way

TinaRey’s review

59:14 - A Leftover Popcorn Kernel:

What type of cake would you want dropped on you from a height?

What superpower would you want to have?

1:02:16 - End Credits

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Muppet Christmas Carol can be watched on Disney+

Connect With Us:

Currently Reading | Kaytee | Meredith

Shad is in the Bookish Friends FB Group (for our Patreon supporters)

Our Website | Email Us

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Buy Some Merch

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

• Bookish Moments: books from beloved authors and the perfect buddy reading scenario

• Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

• Deep Dive: a deeper look into The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

• 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)

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1:18 - The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

1:36 - Bookish Moments of the Week

2:06 - @Roxannathereader on Instagram

2:26 - No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister

2:38 - The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister

2:39 - House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister

5:51 - Kill Show by Daniel Sweren-Becker

6:27 - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

7:56 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

8:53 - Penguins Classic version of Jane Eyre

10:32 - Current Reads

11:09 - Before He Finds Her by Michael Kardos (Meredith)

12:28 - @booktalketc on Instagram

12:29 - Book Talk, etc. Podcast

13:43 - The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

14:54 - Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

16:24 - The Almost Widow by Gail Anderson-Dargatz (Roxanna)

21:51 - Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie (Meredith)

25:42 - House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister (Roxanna)

26:52 - Downton Shabby by Hopwood DePree

26:54 - The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews

28:52 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

28:53 - Search by Michelle Huneven

30:11 - The Exchange by John Grisham (Meredith)

30:35 - The Firm by John Grisham

34:44 - Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes

34:50 - Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes

36:53 - The Pelican Brief by John Grisham

36:57 - A Time to Kill by John Grisham

37:00 - The Brethren by John Grisham

37:53 - Deep Dive: A Discussion on The Covenant of Water

38:01 - The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Roxanna)

42:23 - The Gilmore Guide to Books

43:51 - A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

48:51 - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

49:59 - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

52:41 - Meet Us At The Fountain

52:56 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

53:11 - I wish more book reviewers and podcasters would explain why Tom Lake may be a book for you or not for you. (Roxanna)

53:41 - Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

56:12 - These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

56:32 - Sarah’s Bookshelves Live

58:23 - I wish if you like documentaries you would watch Hello Bookstore. (Meredith)

Hello Bookstore website and ways to watch 

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the independent bookstore of the month. October’s IPL is curated by The Novel Neighbor. Visit them on Instagram
• Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry
• All Things Murderful - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller
• The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

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!* 

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are jumping in a time machine to take you back to the beginning of season 1 with episode 3:

• Bookish Moments: a gift from a patient and reading with kiddos

• Current Reads: you may hear some books in this episode that have become CR faves over the years!

• Deep Dive: our worst bookish habits

• Books We Press:

As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down! 

We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans!

*Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you’d prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* 

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Bookish Moments:

1:08 – Great Illustrated Classics, especially Robin Hood

2:30 – Robin Hood book giveaway on Instagram 

3:00 – Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

3:09 – Lunch Money by Andrew Clements 

3:30 – Audible subscription 

3:53 – Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White 

3:57 – The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary 

4:09 – Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 

4:38 – Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume 

5:10 – Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great by Judy Blume 

Current Reads:

5:59 – The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Kaytee)

8:45 – The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller (Meredith)

9:32 – The Late Bloomer’s Club by Louise Miller 

10:04 – The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan 

10:07 – How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry 

10:51 – War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Kaytee)

12:10 – Jane Austen 

13:34 – Nevermoor: The Tales of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Meredith) 

14:50 – Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling 

14:53 – The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis 

15:18 – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 

18:52 – These is my Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine by Nancy Turner (Kaytee)

20:25 – Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder 

22:33 – Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist (Meredith)

24:13 – Jen Hatmaker 

24:24 – The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown 

24:30 – Daring Greatly by Brene Brown 

We Used to Talk About Actual Current Reads (stuff we were in the middle of):

24:57 – A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold 

25:25 – The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 

25:30 – So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo 

25:45 – Bahni Turpin narrator 

26:16 – This Could Hurt by Jillian Medoff 

27:59 - Deep Dive

28:52 – Serial Reader App 

30:04 – The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas 

30:08 – The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 

Books We Press

34:20 – Matilda by Roald Dahl (Kaytee)

36:40 – Louise Penny Inspector Gamache Series 

36:58 - Still Life – first in Inspector Gamache series 

37:06 – Deborah Crombie series 

37:49 – Inspector Thanet Series by Dorothy Simpson 

39:03 – The Night She Died – first in Inspector Thanet series (Meredith)

*Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*  

Connect With Us:

Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram

Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram

Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram

Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram

currentlyreadingpodcast.com

@currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram

[email protected]

Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

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

• Bookish Moments: International meetups and fall reading

• Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

• Deep Dive: how we’ve prepped our travel TBR

• The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down! 

We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans!

*Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you’d prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*  

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:10 - Bite Size Intro

1:48 - Currently Reading Patreon

3:13 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

6:54 - Current Reads

7:01 - You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron (Kaytee)

7:07 - Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

10:08 - How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann (Meredith)

15:30 - Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler (Kaytee)

18:28 - The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni (Meredith)

19:58 - Sarah’s Bookshelves Live

20:06 - The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

23:33 - Sing Me To Sleep by Gabi Burton (Kaytee)

23:42 - Fairyloot

26:52 - Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (Meredith)

28:33 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

28:41 - The Princess Bride William Goldman

29:31 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

31:00 - Megs.Tea.Room on Instagram

32:22- Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls 

32:39 - Deep Dive: Prepping Our Travel TBR

33:45 - Jordys.Book.Club on Instagram

38:04 - Libro.fm

38:28 - By Gaslight by Steven Price

41:32 - Waypoints by Sam Heugan

41:45 - City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

43:45 - Meet Us At The Fountain

43:52 - I wish to meet our London bookish friends. (Kaytee)

44:08 - send us an email at [email protected] if you are going to make it! We will be at Foyles on Charing Cross Rd October 7, 2023.

45:51 - My wish is that you would partake with me in creating all the fall reading vibes. (Meredith)

Spooky ASMR

Fall ASMR

Warm Cider and Cinnamon candle

Pumpkin Woods candle

Warm Autumn Moss candle

Crisp Morning Leaves candle

Barefoot Dreams Contrast Trim Throw Blanket

Jooja Knit Throw Blanket

Connect With Us:

Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram

Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram

Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram

Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram

currentlyreadingpodcast.com

@currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram

[email protected]

Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcastand www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

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

• Bookish Moments: trips overseas and checking out home decor books

• Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

• Deep Dive: what is working for us in our reading lives

• The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down! 

We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans!

*Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you’d prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*  

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1:53 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

6:15 - Current Reads

6:46 - The Last One by Will Dean (Meredith)

9:41 - Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard

10:58 - To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (Kaytee)

11:05 - Capital Books

11:08 - Parnassus Books

14:36 - Spinning Silver by Naomi Novick (Meredith)

18:33 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 

19:01 - All The Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby (Kaytee)

20:22 - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

23:08 - Down the Hill by Susan Hendricks

23:24 - In Light of All Darkness by Kim Cross (Meredith)

24:45 - I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

28:51 - Waypoints by Sam Heughan (Kaytee)

30:16 - Wild by Cheryl Strayed  

33:59 - Deep Dive: What Is Working In Our Reading Lives

Switching up the format of a book (Meredith)

36:26 - Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Freedom of reading… within constraints (Kaytee)

Going in blind to books (Meredith)

Putting ebooks or audiobooks on hold via the library that I already physically own and limiting myself to one stack at a time (Kaytee)

42:18 - The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny 

Doing close reads of not just Three Pines, but any other book I feel the urge (Meredith)

43:01 - Ezeekat on Instagram

44:15 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

Finding a new time to read (Kaytee)

46:35 - Meet Us At The Fountain

47:02 - I wish more people would explore the works by Anne Perry, specifically the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series. (Meredith)

47:13 - The Cater Street Hangman by Anne Perry

48:18 - I wish to press The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

48:20 - The Anthroprocene Reviewed by John Green

Connect With Us:

Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram

Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram

Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram

Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram

currentlyreadingpodcast.com

@currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram

[email protected]

Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcastand www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

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

• Bookish Moments: seeing each other in person and comfort Kindle reading

• Current Reads: books new and old, from new to beloved authors

• Deep Dive: what we think about “best” versus “favorite” books

• The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down! 

We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans!

*Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you’d prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*  

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2:01 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

2:12 - The Popcast

3:07 - Book People

6:24 - Kindle Oasis

7:15 - Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer 

8:04 - Current Reads

8:11 - Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker (Kaytee)

8:28 - The Husbands by Chandler Baker

8:29 - CR Season 4: Episode 33

8:32 - Whisper Network by Chandler Baker

8:33 - CR Season 2: Episode 4

8:40 - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 

8:42 - Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

13:00 - Malice by Keigo Higashino (Meredith)

13:43 - The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

15:42 - The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart (Kaytee)

19:12 - A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales (Meredith)

24:42 - Invisible Son by Kim Johnson (Kaytee)

24:58 - This Is My America by Kim Johnson

26:43 - Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

26:54 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

28:01 - Plum Island by Nelson DeMille (Meredith)

29:12 - The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille

31:50 - Deep Dive: The Best Books Versus Our Favorite Books

31:56 - @ezeekat aka Jaysen Headley

32:05 - Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

33:40 - Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

33:42 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

34:37 - A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales

35:45 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

35:50 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

38:20 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

38:28 - Babel by R.F. Kuang

39:28 - All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle

44:48 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

44:51 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

45:59 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

46:53 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

46:54 - In Memoriam by Alice Winn

47:28 - Meet Us At The Fountain

47:39 - I wish we would all focus on something to learn in our reading lives. (Kaytee)

49:24 - Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia and Bill Gifford 

49:56 - I wish to press The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier into readers’ hands. (Meredith)

49:56 - The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Connect With Us:

Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram

Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram

Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram

Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram

currentlyreadingpodcast.com

@currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram

[email protected]

Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

We are so excited to journey with you to Three Pines, the fictional French-Canadian village created by Louise Penny for her Three Pines series, featuring Armand Gamache. This spin-off podcast series will tackle each of the books in the series in turn, in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you’ve read the book before listening to the episode.

As you’ve come to expect with all Currently Reading content, Meredith and Roxanna will follow a regular episode format, with regular segments, so you know what to expect each and every time. We love staying focused on the book, rather than conversational rabbit holes. 

Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped, but will include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. These are affiliate links, so they kick back a small percentage to us if you buy through them, and help support the work we do on Currently Reading.

1:56 - The Set Up

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (one L simply due to demographic of readers? Please don’t fight me over this!)

3:05 - Putting the Book Into Context

Publication date 

Seasonal setting - Spring, around Easter

Book Awards: Agatha Award for Best Novel in 2008, Nominated for: The Anthony Award, The Macavity Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel of 2008

Critic Reviews

Alternate Title: Cruelest vs Cruellest - that’s the only difference dependent on geographic location of publishing.

Meredith’s and Roxanna’s encounters with the book

Currently Reading Season 5: Episode 45 w/Ezeekat

8:46 - A Deeper Exploration

Setup and first few paragraphs

A seance as the driving source of the mystery

Still Life by Louise Penny

One note character in Madeline/lack of care for her as a character

Gamache not introduced until chapter 9

Pg. 69 - Make note for future reads

Gamache as a father and grandfather figure versus an inspector

The pacing of the novel

Quality of writing itself

Themes: Regeneration, Resurrection and its unpredictability, jealousy, equanimity, grief, platonic love, 

Character Development - Gamache’s Pride, Beauvoir

The Fear Factor

55:58 - What Do We Need to Know?

Village of Three Pines - The Hadley House, Hazel’s House

A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

Homes as a driver for the plot/characters

The Oddness Factor

Gamache’s accented English

1:06:00 - Superlatives

Favorite scene

Character MVP

Biggest loser

Best food description

1:16:32 - Within the Series

Is this book skippable?

Setting the foundation

Favorite quote

*Does the reading of passages take you out of the conversation or help enhance it? Let us know at the socials below!

Next episode’s read: A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny

No Spoilers this episode! 

Connect With Us:

Please note the change in Meredith’s Instagram handle. This was recorded prior to the change. 

Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram

Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram

Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram

currentlyreadingpodcast.com

@currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram

[email protected]

Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

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

• Bookish Moments: bookshelves and morbid picture books

• Current Reads: men that may or may not be animals…

• Deep Dive: books where the house is a character

• The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down! 

We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans!

*Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you’d prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*  

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:10 - Bite Size Intro

1:01 - The Popcast

2:28 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

2:36 - Holly @birdbrainbooks on Instagram

3:04 - Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey (Amazon Link)

7:12 - Current Reads

7:39 - Down the Hill by Susan Hendricks (Meredith)

10:02 - The Fact of A Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich

13:36 - Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (Kaytee)

14:56 - Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

15:22 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

18:12 - The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill (Meredith)

20:29 - When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

22:13 - The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser

22:23 - From the Front Porch Podcast

22:24 - What Should I Read Next Podcast

23:00 - Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley (Kaytee)

23:14 - The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

23:26 - Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley 

26:21 - Kill Creek by Scott Thomas (Meredith)

27:42 - Currently Reading Patreon

29:08 - Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

29:46 - An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adrianna Herrera (Kaytee)

29:58 - A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adrianna Herrera

30:05 - Cafe Con Libros

32:58 - Deep Dive: Books With Houses As Characters

34:07 - The Swifts by Beth Lincoln

35:07 - How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

35:16 - A Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

35:39 - A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

35:45 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

37:22 - The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

37:34 - The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen-Loigman

38:04 - The Attic Child by Lola Jaye

38:42 - The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

39:27 - Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

40:15 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

40:52 - Keep It in the Family by John Marrs

41:36 - Downton Shabby by Hopwood Depree

42:00 - Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

42:02 - Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

42:13 - The Only One Left by Riley Sager

42:38 - I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

43:20 - The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny

45:00 - Meet Us At The Fountain

46:01 - Fabled Bookshop

46:06 - An Unlikely Story

50:22 - I wish you would plan your spooky fall reading and I wished for a longer segment with Book Boyfriend Bill (which came true!) (Meredith)

47:06 - I wish to express my gratitude to my village in my season of moving and settling into a new home. (Kaytee)

Connect With Us:

Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram

Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram

Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram

Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram

currentlyreadingpodcast.com

@currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram

[email protected]

Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcastand www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

On this week’s episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Mary are discussing:

• Bookish Moments: reading with family and choosing family's reads

• Current Reads: lots of books great for fall!

• Deep Dive: books that follow a formula, and when it feels phoned in or not

• The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down! 

We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans!

*Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you’d prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*  

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1:40 - Currently Reading Patreon

3:42 - The Novel Neighbor

4:09 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

4:16 - Elizabeth Barnhill on Instagram @wacoreads

6:13 - This Tender Land by William Kent Kreuger

7:33 - Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

7:40 - Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kreuger

7:46 - Holly by Stephen King

7:58 - Current Reads

8:06 - A Death In Door County by Annelise Ryan (Mary)

9:53 - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant 

10:44 - Death in the Dark Woods by Annelise Ryan (releases December 2023)

11:43 - Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (Meredith)

13:39 - Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent

15:36 - Sarah’s Bookshelves Live

16:25 - The Maid by Nita Prose

18:17 - The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston (Mary)

18:26 - The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

21:34 - Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia and Bill Gifford (Meredith)

23:06 - Oprah Daily “The Life You Want” talk w/Dr. Peter Attia (this is for Oprah Daily subscribers. I tried finding it elsewhere and no luck. Sorry friends!)

26:08 - Tim Ferriss and Dr. Peter Attia episode #517

27:06 - Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano (Mary)

29:39 - @what_amy_reads on Instagram

29:48 - The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

29:56 - 11/22/63 by Stephen King

32:00 - DM Mary on Instagram if you read Dead Eleven @maryreadsandsips

32:21 - The Governess Game by Tessa Dare (Meredith)

37:58 - Deep Dive: Books That Follow Formulas

38:08 - The Only One Left by Riley Sager

48:43 - Meet Us At The Fountain

48: 53 - I wish everyone would find their bookish joy and be totally extra about it. (Mary)

50:22 - I wish everyone would follow Mary on Instagram! (Meredith)

Connect With Us:

Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram

Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram

Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram

Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram

currentlyreadingpodcast.com

@currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram

[email protected]

Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcastand www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading