The Currently Reading Podcast

Kaytee and Meredith are back and chatting about all the books this week. We've got surgery updates and silliness and everything in between.

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each host. We're virtually joining in on a trip to a local booklover's heaven, and sitting on the couch binging books together.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. Romance, and mystery, non-fiction, and YA. We're chatting about all that we've been reading lately, even if it doesn't jive with previous opinions on the show!

Our Slow But Steady check in is going to move to every once in a while instead of every week. You can still check in on Instagram or Facebook, but this is an "off" week for this segment.

For our deep dive this week, we are excited to talk about what makes us skip or DNF (do not finish) a book. Some of these might be obvious to long-time listeners of the show, but some surprised us as well as each other, so let us know what you think and what you discover about your OWN reading tendencies here. We are SO interested to hear it!

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands: first, a small "bonus press" to add some hilarity to your December, and then a tribute to a recently deceased author, and something to press into the young adults' hands in your life.

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!

*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!*

.

.

.

.

.

Bookish Moments:

2:03 - BookPeople in Austin, TX

Current Reads:

8:54 - A Knife at the Opera by Susannah Stacey

10:15 - Agatha Christie books

11:01 - Dorothy Simpson books

11:32 - Episode 8 of Season 2 with Anne Bogel

11:34 - The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

15:34 - The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

15:58 - Do You Mind if I Cancel? by Gary Janetti

17:45 - David Sedaris books

17:27 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff

19:12 - Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

19:20 - Episode 14 of Season 2 with Lori Lynn Tucker

23:12 - American Royals by Katherine McGee

29:08 - Underground Airlines by Ben Winters

29:43 - Dear Martin by Nic Stone

30:49 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Deep Dive:

35:24 - Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

35:29 - Doris Kearns Goodwin books

42:52 - Episode 7 of Season 1 with Jessica Turner

42:57 - I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown

Presses:

45:20 - Santaland Diaries Audio from NPR

46:24 - Lunch Money by Andrew Clements

48:15 - Frindle by Andrew Clements

48:16 - Troublemaker by Andrew Clements

48:58 - I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi

Meredith is recording with a special guest this week and has a big announcement, so be sure you tune in right at the top! You'll hear again from our friend Mindy Brouse, best friend of the show and reader extraordinaire.

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each host. These bookish moments have a common thread in that they involve real life pressing books into the hands of friends and the reactions of those friends.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We've got books spanning genres and time periods and continents. We've got ones that will spark discussion, we've got books that'll leave your heart aflutter. It's a great week of book talk!

Our Slow But Steady check in is going to move to every once in a while instead of every week. You can still check in on Instagram on the regular, but we're not going to keep banging the "I've got very little to report" drum. Thanks to the listener survey and all your great feedback!

For our deep dive this week, Meredith and Mindy are chatting about raising readers of all ages. There are some really fantastic tips and some great encouragement in this episode, friends. Even if you don't have kids (or don't like kids), I'm guessing you know a reader in your life who would love to hear this chunk, so pass it along!

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands: we've got one that has been mentioned many times on the podcast but never "pressed" and one that should be in your box of Christmas books that you haul out every December.

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

1:22 - Episode 32 of Season 1 with Mindy Brouse

4:33 - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

6:56 - The "Press" List

7:03 - The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar

9:50 - 2020 Reading Challenge

10:10 - A Warning by Anonymous

13:37 - The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar

16:50 - Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

19:02 - Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

20:35 - The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

24:25 - The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry

25:07 - Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

25:13 - David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

28:47 - Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde

36:24 - Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

36:27 - Redwall by Brian Jacques

36:30 - Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

36:31 - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

36:33 - Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

38:42 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

(Kaytee's note here: check out this episode of Read Aloud Revival for the benefits of kids re-reading a graphic novel every freaking day)

40:31 - Wings of Fire by Tui T. Stevenson

41:09 - Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

41:10 - Eragon series by Christopher Paolini

43:46 - Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

43:52 - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

45:21 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

46:45 - Books We've Pressed List

47:27 - Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend

47:46 - Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

Connect with Mindy: @gratefulforgrace on Instagram

Kaytee and Meredith are ready to chat about all the books again this week. Hang on to your hats!

You'll hear our combined "bookish moment of the week": the Patron discussion with Diane Chamberlain about her book, and then a bit of getting vulnerable about the technological snafu that resulted.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. These are six books that are all VERY different in content and tone and all the ways that books can be different. It's a great ride.

Our Slow But Steady check in is short and sweet, just like you like it!

For our deep dive this week, we are tackling the final category in the 2019 Reading Challenge: a book that is scary for some reason and we're examining what makes us scared as readers. It might not be what you expect!

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands: a wonderful book that will make a favorite movie shine even more brightly and a beloved curmudgeon book with a young woman protagonist!

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

1:10 - 2019 Currently Reading Challenge

1:32 - 2020 Currently Reading Challenge

4:26 - Patreon

4:29 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain

7:32 - The Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron

10:26 - The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson

11:40 - A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

15:10 - Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines

18:05 - Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand

21:01 - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

21:22 - The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

21:57 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

22:42 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff

22:49 - Episode 16 with Sarah Dickinson (and) Sarah's Interview with Garrett Graff

28:01 - Red at the Bone by Jaqueline Woodson

30:47 - The Road Back to You by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron

31:05 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

31:25 - The Water Dancer by Ta-Nahesi Coates

31:49 - A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

32:13 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff

32:37 - Beloved by Toni Morrison

33:28 - 2019 Currently Reading Challenge

34:52 - The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

35:48 - Six Stories by Matt Weselowski

35:57- Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

35:58 - Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

36:00 - The One by John Marrs

36:01 - The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

37:32 - Bird Box by Josh Malerman

37:43 - The Whisper Man by Alex North

39:00 - White Fragility by Robin D'Angelo

39:02 - So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown (I squashed these together reading too fast from my notes when I mentioned them!)

39:04 - Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

39:33 - Evicted by Matthew Desmond

39:47 - I Think You're Wrong But I'm Listening by Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland

40:52 - The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

41:40 - 2020 Currently Reading Challenge

41:35 - 2020 llustrated Reading Journal (free for Patrons)

44:21 - As You Wish by Cary Elwes

45:50 - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

46:44 - A Man Called Ove by Frederick Backman

46:45 - The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Meredith and Kaytee are back, chatting books and strong opinions with you!

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: leaning into the DNF (did not finish), and a recovery book as reading "Advil."

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We've got three books each to discuss, including some revisits of titles that have already been discussed.

Our Slow But Steady check in is short and sweet, just like you like it!

For our deep dive this week, we are talking True Crime. This is an unknown world for Kaytee so we're hearing from Meredith about what she loves about True Crime and her favorites in the genre.

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands: a cry-fest book that not everyone will love, and a book for middle graders that one of us still needs to pick up!

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

5:20 - Sarah's Bookshelves Alcohol & Advil pairings!

6:42 - The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

6:49 - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

9:41 - Be Fearless by Jean Case

12:53 - The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

16:00 - The Need by Helen Phillips

16:05 - She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

16:11 - Episode 11 of Season 2 with Sara Hildreth

20:00 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix Harrow

24:26 - The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

24:39 - Book of the Month Subscription

24:56 - Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

29:10 - The Road Back to You by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron

29:38 - The Water Dancer by Ta-Nahesi Coates

29:53 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

30:38 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

33:28 - The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

35:46 - The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

37:38 - The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

38:56 - The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse

39:27 - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

39:52 - Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi

40:04 - Outrage: The Five Reasons Why O.J. Simpson Got Away With Murder by Vincent Bugliosi

40:24 - Mindhunter by John Douglas

41:24 - I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

43:02 - Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

43:12 - Columbine by Dave Cullen

44:03 - Sadie by Courtney Summers

44:11 - Six Stories by Matt Weselowski

45:31 - The Light Between Oceans by ML Steadman

47:52 - All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

49:09 - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Kaytee and Meredith are sharing a special guest with you this week, our dear friend and podcast pal, Sarah Dickinson of Sarah's Bookshelves and Sarah's Bookshelves Live.

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a sanity saver behind the scenes, meeting a (kid's) favorite author, and new reading acronyms.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We're each sharing two reads this week and we're all over the place with sequels and weird books, and amazing books, and STRONG opinions!

We're skipping slow but steady so we have more time to chat with Sarah. Stay tuned for an update on that next week.

For our deep dive this week, we are picking Sarah's brain about what it's like to almost always be reading ahead of the charts. How she tracks her reading and whether she has goals for her yearly reading. It's a great conversation with lots of food for thought.

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books into Your Hands. We've got a non-fiction pick that will tear your heart out, an oldie but a goodie, and a WWII fiction book one of us believes is "best in class."

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

4:06 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

4:15 - Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney

8:03 - Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

8:27 - Big Nate by Lincoln Pearce

8:29 - Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

11:30 - After the Flood by Kassandra Montag

13:40 - The Innocents by Michael Crummy

15:25 - Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

15:50 - The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

16:18 - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

16:37 - Bird Box by Josh Malerman

16:50 - Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton

17:41 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

18:13 - A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

19:36 - Minisode with Brigid Kemmerer

25:36 - Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

I managed to talk about this entire book without mentioning the title? How?? The Unbreakable Code by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

26:50 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

26:51 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

26:59 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

27:01 - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

27:30 - Our companion episode with Sara Hildreth

27:32 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live episode with Sara Hildreth

27:45 - The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore

33:20 - The Need by Helen Phillips

33:45 - Ten Things To Tell You episode about books

38:39 - The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

38:50 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

39:00 - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

40:18 - Lord of the Flies by William Golding

55:14 - The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

55:29 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M Graff

55:50 - Sarah's interview with Garrett M. Graff

1:00:09 - Episode 9 with Meg Tietz

1:00:22 - The Home Maker by Dorothy Canfield

1:02:54 - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave

1:03:11 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

1:03:13 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

1:04:32 - Kaytee's old (written) interview with Chris Cleave

1:05:20 - Connect with Sarah: @sarahsbookshelves on Instagram or her website sarahsbookshelves.com

Meredith and Kaytee are back in your earbuds this week for another new episode of Currently Reading and we have lots of fun stuff to share with you!

First, a quick announcement about our Patron-only book club: we will be discussing The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain, and the author will be joining us to chat about her book on November 17th! So, if you've been on the fence about reading or joining our Patreon, now may be the time to do it!

Second, we have a Currently Reading Listener Survey for you this week. Please click through to the survey and tell us your thoughts about all things Currently Reading!

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a local author event and pre-reading a book for a friend.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We're each sharing two reads this week since Belly Up episodes end up running long. Strong opinions abound in our novels this week!

We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, including a "completed!" update.

For our deep dive this week, we are discussing the Currently Reading 2019 Challenge category 11: Books Pressed by an IRL or Online Book Club. We already shared a lot of Book Club thoughts in episode 4 of season 2, so this ends up being an ode to finding your bookish tribe.

Finally, this week, we are Bellying Up to the Book Bar with DeeAnn Haworth. This was a bit of a challenge for one of us, but we're excited to talk about some new to you and to us titles!

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

1:15 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain

1:40 - Patreon

1:53 - Currently Reading Listener Survey

2:51 - Garcia Street Books in Santa Fe, NM

3:23 - The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

3:33 - Minisode with J. Ryan Stradal

5:22 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

5:45 - The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

7:14 - The Dearly Beloved by Cara Walls

7:20 - Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner

7:40 - Knox McCoy on The Popcast

7:43 - Shelf Subscription on Bookshelf Thomasville

14:06 - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

19:50 - The Swallows by Lisa Lutz

20:05 - Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

20:07 - The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker

25:29 - Currently Reading on Patreon

25:46 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain

31:59 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

33:15 - The Road Back to You by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron

33:56 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

34:50 - Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell

36:30 - Currently Reading 2019 Reading Challenge

36:47 - Episode 4 of Season 2

38:00 - Meredith on Episode 85 (I said 89, but that was a mistake!) of Sorta Awesome Podcast

42:13 - bookish.com

43:43 - Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series

43:46 - JA Jance's Joanna Brady and JP Beaumont series

43:54 - Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall

43:57 - Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

44:00 - Richard Paul Evans' The Walk series and The Broken Road series

44:05 - An Eldery Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

44:10 - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

44:12 - Elevation by Stephen King

44:15 - Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy

44:19 - When by Victoria Laurie

45:55 - Sue Grafton's Alphabet Series

46:42 - Mickey Haller/Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael Connelly

46:56 - When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman

47:22 - Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series

47:59 - In Her Bones by Kate Moretti

48:37 - Joshilyn Jackson's The Almost Sisters and A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty

48:50 - Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

49:21 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman

49:46 - Rabbit, the Autobiography of Ms. Pat by Patricia Williams

50:20 - Aunti Poldi series by Mario Giordano

50:45 - Celine by Peter Heller

50:49 - The River by Peter Heller

51:39 - Setting Free the Kites by Alex George

51:42 - Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen

51:56 - Little Lovely Things by Maureen Joyce Connelly

52:40 - The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth

53:12 - Thinner by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman

54:16 - The Grown-Up by Gillian Flynn

54:45 - McNally's Secret by Lawrence Sanders

56:20 - Listener Survey - one more time!

Kaytee is recording with a guest host this week as Meredith is traveling, and I think you'll really enjoy hearing from her!

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: an author event with a tiny sidekick, and a special bookish gift from a friend.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. This week's choices have romance, non-fiction, and historical fiction novels!

We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, as well as a couple listener updates

For our deep dive this week, we are taking a peek at Lori Lynn's reading life, and the ways she uses reading to balance her mental health. It's a really interesting conversation about how reading looks different for each of us.

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. We've both brought a non-fiction pick this week, and they are certain to spark conversations!

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

2:10 - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

3:01 - Episode 17 with Delia Owens interview!

3:28 - Glennon Doyle Meton (on tour for Love Warrior)

3:30 - Anthony Doerr (on tour for All the Light We Cannot See)

4:10 - A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

4:54 - Currently Reading Bookish Friends on Patreon

6:11 - The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

8:30 - Anna Hithersay on Episode 22

10:10 - The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

10:36 - The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

10:49 - The Happily Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

11:04 - Viral social media post about ExLax from Abby Jimenez

12:11 - The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory

14:38 - The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

17:56 - Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon

18:03 - Audiobook Sync program (not happening now, but you can sign up for the email list so you know when it comes around next summer)

18:34 - Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

19:48 - A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

20:54 - The Parasol Protectorate (series) by Gail Carriager

21:51 - Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

22:13 - Mary Heim on episode 24 and episode 36

28:09 - Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

29:29 - Lunch Lady (series) by Jarrett Krosoczka

30:14 - Another Bookish Friend (Patron) Shout Out!

30:18 - Currently Reading 2019 Reading Challenge

30:54 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery

30:59 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

31:06 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

31:59 - The Complete Short Stories of Flannery O'Connor

32:39 - Book People in Austin, TX

33:41 - Harry Potter (series) by JK Rowling

34:00 - Middlemarch by George Eliot

34:21 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

34:51 - Serial Reader App

35:54 - The Post Party Podcast

43:59 - Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski

44:55 - Jessie Bear books by Nancy White Carlstrom

45:13 - Little Bear books by Elsie Holmlund Minarik

45:36 - Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

45:55 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

48:18 - Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey

50:19 - Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey

51:09 - Being Mortal by Atul Gwande

51:12 - The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

52:32 - But That's Another Story podcast with Will Schwalbe

52:51 - What Should I Read Next podcast

54:16 - Connect with Lori Lynn: @lorilynn_tucker or @lorilynntucker_doula

54:25 - The Post Party Podcast

Meredith and Kaytee are ready to chat about one of their favorite topics this week: local libraries, how to love them well, and how to enjoy them extensively.

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a bookshelf purge and new library bliss.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We've got scary stuff, apocalypses, children's fiction, and books everyone needs to read.

We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, and some observations from our listeners about what they're reading for SBS.

For our deep dive this week, we are showering love on our local libraries. We've got tips and tricks for how to use your library well, but we've also got the inside scoop on what you can do to help your library and keep it going strong. So many words, and we tried to rein it in!

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. Our books are great complements to each other, in that one will be thought-provoking and essential and maybe even emotional or difficult while the other is fun and feisty and sweet.

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

1:20 - Sleep at a Book Hotel!

6:29 - Babysitter's Club Graphic Novels by Ann M. Martin

6:39 - Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

6:41 - Smile by Raina Telgemeier

9:59 - The Whisper Man by Alex North

12:45 - Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

15:01 - Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

15:22 - Shelf subscription from Bookshelf Thomasville

15:58 - From the Front Porch podcast

18:37 - The Stand by Stephen King

19:07 - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

20:33 - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

20:39 - Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

26:31 - The Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Janssen

30:54 - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

31:52 - Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

34:12 - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

34:31 - Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

34:58 - A Torch Against the Night (Book 2) by Sabaa Tahir

35:40 - A Court of Thrones and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

36:12 - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

37:08 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

38:02 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery

39:11 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

39:49 - Patreon

40:15 - The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain

42:28 - Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher

43:11 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

43:12 - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

43:46 - The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M Graff

46:36 - Library Extension for your browser

51:59 - Library Elf to manage your holds and such

53:20 - Keep scrolling down for the full list of ways to help your library from our Bookish Friend and local library board member, Sarah McGuire!

54:05 - Friends of the Library membership - your local library will probably have a link to THEIR friends program on their website

58:01 - Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

1:00:18 - La Cucina by Lily Prior

1:00:28 - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

1:00:30 - Chocolat by Joanne Harris

1:03:14 - Currently Reading Drinkware

1:03:16 - Currently Reading Sherpa Throw

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Options for helping your library from a board member:

- share a talent (grant writing, graphic design, etc.)

- join the library "friends" group or at a minimum attend a meeting or two and help at fundraising events - maybe even volunteer to chair an event. In this day and age of dwindling book sales as a major fundraiser, new ideas are encouraged!

- if your library has a membership campaign/fundraising drive, donate even if just $10-15 - if every town resident donated even $5, we'd raise a ton during our annual membership drive!

- if you donate and have company match, submit it and double your dollars if your library qualifies as a non profit

- consider a recurring donation if your company promotes that (right from your paycheck if your library qualifies as a non profit)

- attend budget meetings and support your library. Get the facts and if there are budget cuts that you do not agree with, go and advocate for library funding. If you can't attend, send a letter for public forum/comments advocating for your library.

- attend programs your library holds - they love to see people at their programs!

- ask your library director what they need!

- donate GOOD books for book sales/book carts

- share your enthusiasm with friends and your community - advocate for your library!

- ask if there is something you can help with (I stuff envelopes, write thank yous, etc)

- donate items for fundraising drives - our library does an annual auction and we usually put together baskets - get a small group of friends to donate items for a basket! Have season sport tickets/theater tickets you can't use? Donate them! If you know a local business, ask them for donations - it takes a village to put together a good silent auction!

Thank you, Sarah, for all these amazing tips!

Kaytee and Meredith are back into their routine after some guests and a big shake-up, and we're excited to be here!

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: moving and the big changes it brings, a #bookstagram challenge.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. This week is going to feel a little different for a number of reasons. Take a listen to hear about 2 books Kaytee read recently and then we'll talk about what's happening with Meredith's reading life.

We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, with a funny update from a couple listeners.

For our deep dive this week, we are checking out the eleventh category of the #readerstatus side of the Currently Reading Challenge, books by authors from other countries. We have a lot of great authors here and we know you'll have a bunch to add to our list!

Finally, this week, we are Bellying Up to the Book Bar with listener Jami Dabbs. She loves "stories well-told with characters you can sink your teeth into" and we think we've got some great recs for her.

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

2:35 - Currently Reading Challenge

3:55 - Book People in Austin, TX

4:36 - Fabled Book Shop in Waco, TX

5:08 - Texas Book Festival

5:33 - #book10gram challenge with @howjessreads

5:38 - Jessica Howard on Episode 3 of Season 2

9:36 - After the Flood by Kassandra Montag

13:32 - The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger

13:40- Episode 31 of Ten Things to Tell You

15:41 - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

18:09 - A Better Man by Louise Penny

29:23 - Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny

29:33 - Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

31:38 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

31:59 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery

32:02 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

33:05 - The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

33:13 - A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

33:14 - The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

34:11 - Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast

34:25 - Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

35:37 - Currently Reading Challenge

36:18 - Murmur of Bees by Sophia Segovia

36:44 - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

37:20 - Chocolat by Joanne Harris

38:10 - A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

38:36 - Frederick Backman (Beartown, A Man Called Ove, etc)

38:54 - Stieg Larsson Millennium Series (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

39:14 - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Americanah, We Should All Be Feminists, etc)

39:29 - Abraham Verghese - Cutting for Stone

39:33 - Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner, And The Mountains Echoed

39:57 - Alexander McCall Smith - The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency

40:26 - John Boyne - The Heart's Invisible Furies

40:54 - Junot Diaz - The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

41:06 - Gabriel Garcia Marquez - One Hundred Years of Solitude

41:11 - Jose Saramago - Blindness

41:30 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

41:31 - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

41:32 - Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

41:35 - Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice, etc)

41:36 - Charles Dickens (Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, etc)

42:44 - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

42:47 - Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

42:51 - We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

42:53 - The Dry by Jane Harper

42:54 - Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand

42:56 - Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet

43:01 - Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

43:03 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling

43:56 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

44:04 - The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

44:20 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

44:38 - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

45:46 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

44:49 - The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

44:55 - The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak

45:36 - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

45:52 - A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

46:27 - Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

46:39 - The Current by Tim Johnston

47:07 - The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

47:33 - North and South by John Jakes

47:56 - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

48:08 - East of Eden by John Steinbeck

48:43 - Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

48:50 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

49:10 - All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage

49:26 - The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

Meredith and Kaytee are recording with a special guest this week, Sara Hildreth of @fictionmatters on Instagram. We'll chat with her about building a 70K follower account and how that affects her reading life.

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a long-awaited pre-order arrives, a forthcoming release that we're excited to read, and exploring a new literary scene.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We are each sharing two books that we've read recently. We've got some differing opinions about books we've all read, which is my FAVORITE thing.

We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, with more observations about what Slow But Steady can be and doesn't have to be.

For our deep dive this week, we are going deep into the backside of #bookstagram, asking Sara about her history on the platform, how she keeps her reading life in balance, and her favorite and least favorite parts of being a BIG bookstagrammer.

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. Each of us is sharing a book that we can't wait for you to read.

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! *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!*

.

.

.

.

.

1:13 - @fictionmatters on Instagram

2:12 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling, Illustration Edition

3:35 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

3:47 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

6:46 - The Familiars by Stacy Halls

7:09 -The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

10:37 - Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

13:15 - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

16:36 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

16:37 - Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

17:11 - She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

19:25 - Bad Blood by John Kerryrou

21:42 - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

21:57 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

22:15 - The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton

22:19 - Episode 11 of Season 1

25:13 - The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

26:51 - Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

26:57 - Mary Heim in Episode 36 of Season 1

28:15 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling

30:43 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

30:57 - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

31:05 - On Writing by Stephen King

31:24 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

31:32 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery

32:28 - The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander #5)

32:43 - How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

52:52 - Possession by A.S. Byatt

57:22 - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

59:33 - I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam

1:01:31 - Connect with Sara: @fictionmatters on Instagram, fictionmattersbooks.com