The Currently Reading Podcast

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

• Bookish Moments: A new bookish metaphor and book moms in the wild

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

• Deep Dive: Organizing Our Bookshelves

• Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and a sleeper hit you should read.

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 - Ad For Ourselves

2:03 - Currently Reading Patreon

2:55 - Bookish Moments of the Week

3:19 - A Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl

7:44 - @meg.al.reads on Instagram

9:19 - Current Reads

9:26 - Agnes Aubert's Magical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett (Mary)

9:54 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

13:34 - Mate by Ali Hazelwood (Kaytee)

13:38 - Bride by Ali Hazelwood

MARYS NEXT BOOK BEGINS AT 17:43 IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR MATE'S SETUP

16:31 - romance.io

17:48 - Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen (Mary)

19:50 - The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen

19:52 - CR Season 4: Episode 38 w/Mary's setup of The Arc

21:07 - One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Kaytee)

23:39 - American War by Omar El Akkad

26:02 - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Mary)

28:19 - This Is How You Win the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

29:57 - Honey by Imani Thompson (pre-order, releases May 5, 2026) (Kaytee)

32:10 - They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

34:36 - Organizing Our Bookshelves

36:51 - Ikea Kallax Bookshelf

37:47 - Ikea Billy Bookcase

42:40 - Cinder by Marissa Meyer

48:50 - The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

49:47 - Currently Reading Substack

53:51 - Before We Go

Kaytee highlights a bookish friend post

54:38 - Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

54:40 - The Wife, The Mistress and the Maid by Ariel Lawhon

54:42 - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

54:44 - The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

54:47 - The Antidote by Karen Russell

54:52 - The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kawali

Mary brings a sleeper hit, with a twist:

57:02 - Looking At Picture Books w/Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

58:51 - Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March's IPL is brought by our lovely friends at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads | Substack | Youtube

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing:

• Bookish Moments: A new bookish metaphor and book moms in the wild

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

• Deep Dive: Explaining a Currently Reading literary society

• Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and a sleeper hit you should read.

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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1:44 - Bookish Moments of the Week

1:52 - Currently Reading Website

1:56 - Books We Want To Press Into Your Hands

3:03 - Best Books for Babies and Kids

3:42 - Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge

5:55 - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO Max

7:12 - Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

7:16 - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin (all 3 Dunk and Egg novellas)

7:55 - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

8:33 - Current Reads

8:41 - The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon (Kaytee)

11:47 - The Book Wanderers by Anna James

11:50 - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

11:54 - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

13:08 - Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (Meredith)

15:10 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

15:11 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

15:45 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

22:27 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

24:10 - Six Feet Over by Mary Roach (Kaytee)

27:20 - Gulp by Mary Roach

27:21 - Bonk by Mary Roach

27:22 - Stiff by Mary Roach

28:51 - Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (Meredith)

32:06 - Agatha Christie's Marple by Mark Aldridge

34:18 - The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden (Kaytee)

34:33 - Charter Books

39:00 - Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Meredith)

42:28 - Dracula by Bram Stoker

45:21 - Turning Instagram into Bookstagram

47:25 - Sign up for the newsletter on our website

47:26 - Currently Reading Substack

50:48 - Currently Reading Instagram

50:54 - @HelloSunshine on Instagram

50:58 - @BookRiot on Instagram

51:00 - @NYTBooks on Instagram

51:40 - @Iamblackharry on Instagram

52:10 - Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

52:28 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

52:42 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

53:42 - The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

53:48 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore

54:03 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

56:13 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live

58:44 - Before We Go

Meredith highlights a bookish friend post

59:34 - The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

59:54 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Kaytee's Book She DNF'd:

1:01:22 - The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor

1:01:28 - Bookshelf Thomasville

1:02:57 - From the Front Porch podcast

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads | Substack | Youtube

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing:

• Bookish Moments: A new bookish metaphor and book moms in the wild

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

• Deep Dive: Explaining a Currently Reading literary society

• Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and a sleeper hit you should read.

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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1:28 - Bookish Moments of the Week

5:56 - Current Reads

6:23 - A Violent Age by Sarah Blake (Meredith, amazon link)

7:25 - Clean Air by Sarah Blake

13:08 - Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai (Kaytee)

15:28 - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

16:41 - Currently Reading Website

17:59 - Speedy Death by Gladys Mitchell (Meredith)

23:34 - A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (Kaytee)

23:52 - History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook

24:05 - The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid

26:27 - The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

26:28 - Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

26:32 - House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

26:42 - Sing Me To Sleep by Gabi Burton

26:50 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

28:59 - The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan (Meredith)

33:18 - Booktenders

33:37 - Everyone Is Lying To You by Jo Piazza (Kaytee)

38:40 - Currently Reading Style Book Clubs

42:49 - A Violent Age by Sarah Blake

50:16 - Before We Go

Kaytee highlights a bookish friend post

50:34 - Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

50:36 - The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

50:37 - Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

50:40 - The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

51:22 - The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

51:39 - Confessions by Kanae Minato

Meredith's Sleeper Hit:

52:34 - Sphere by Michel Crichton

52:39 - Timeline by Michael Crichton

54:06 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads | Substack | Youtube

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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 discussing:

• Bookish Moments: Kaytee's San Francisco bookstore adventure and Meredith's Wolf Hall slow read

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

• Deep Dive: Boss My TBR - helping two listeners prioritize their reading stacks

• Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and TBR triage

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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:10 Bite Size Intro

1:04 - Currently Reading on Youtube

2:39 - Bookish Moments of the Week

3:13 - City Lights Bookstore

5:00 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

5:35 - Footnotes and Tangents

07:53 - Current Reads

8:01 - History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook (Kaytee)

11:18 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live

11:52 - Sphere by Michael Crichton (Meredith)

14:21 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

15:58 - The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton

16:02 - Timeline by Michael Crichton

16:15 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

16:34 - Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb (Kaytee)

22:12 - The Sleeper Lies by Andrea Mara (Meredith, Blackwell's link)

24:01 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara

26:11 - Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara

26:12 - The Other Side of the Wall by Andrea Mara (Blackwell's link)

26:54 - The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Kaytee)

28:25 - CR Season 2: Episode 22 when Kayytee first brought The Dutch House

29:20 - Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

31:48 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

33:30 - Snap by Belinda Bauer (Meredith)

37:30 - Boss My TBR

38:11 - Gretchen's Stack

For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

39:29 - Field Day Books and Bottles

39:35 - Cannon Beach Book Company

43:09 - Lauren's Stack

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

Fear and Fury by Heather Ann Thompson

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

44:26 - Fabled Bookshop

44:49 - Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson

48:32 - Before We Go

Meredith highlights bookish friend posts from the Facebook group

50:08 - Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson

50:13 - On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder

51:39 - Nothing Much Happens podcast

52:57 - Currently Reading Patreon

53:14 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

53:39 - Timeline by Michael Crichton

Kaytee's TBR Triage: Kaytee brings a book that has been on her TBR for a long time and decides whether to keep and read, or remove from her TBR.

54:28 - The Sinister Booksellers of Bath (Foyles link)

54:31 - Foyle's

54:56 - The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix (Foyles link)

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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 Roxanna are discussing:

• Bookish Moments: stickers on books and book metaphors

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

• Deep Dive: if we re-read and why

• 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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3:06 - Ad For Ourselves

3:49 - NYT Article about book podcasts "Seven Podcasts for Bookworms"

6:16 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

6:22 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

7:32 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week

14:14 - Our Current Reads

14:25 - The Q by Beth Brower (Roxanna)

14:30 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

18:22 - For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

20:18 - Lock In by John Scalzi (Meredith)

23:30 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi

26:41 - The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine (Roxanna)

29:53 - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

32:46 - The Governess and the Rogue by Mimi Matthews (Meredith)

35:26 - The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews

35:28 - Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews

38:25 - A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar (Roxanna)

43:00 - The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (Meredith)

47:44 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

52:34 - Deep Dive: Why We Re-Read

56:59 - I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

57:42 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

1:00:02 - Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

1:01:11 - Getting Things Done by David Allen

1:01:15 - Essentialism by Greg McKeown

1:01:21 - Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

1:01:36 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

1:02:09 - The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

1:02:22 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

1:02:38 - Meet Us At The Fountain

1:04:18 - I wish to bring back the Currently Reading literary society. (Roxanna)

1:05:03 - @roxannathereader on Instagram

1:06:00 - I want to highlight the show Bookish on PBS. (Meredith)

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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 discussing:

• Bookish Moments: reviving the book space and recs from bookish friends

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

• Deep Dive: all things special editions

• 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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1:39 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week

2:35 - Currently Reading Patreon

4:16 - Currently Reading website to find your readerly type

5:03 - Sidedoor podcast

5:29 - Sidedoor Season 11 - Poison and Poisonability

6:50 - Our Current Reads

6:58 - Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle (Kaytee)

7:13 - @booksbybrady on instagram

11:02 - Voices in the Snow by Darcy Coates (Meredith)

14:51 - Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates

16:17 - Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson (Kaytee)

17:41 - These Truths by Jill Lapore

19:37 - Two Cures for Love by Wendy Cope (Meredith, amazon link)

23:58 - The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel (Kaytee)

26:23 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

26:54 - Bear by Julia Phillips

28:02 - For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn (Meredith)

35:26 - Deep Dive: All About Special Editions

35:41 - Special Edition reel by Docofthedarkarts

36:16 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (special edition)

36:33 - OwlCrate

36:34 - Fairyloot

36:38 - Satisfiction

37:40 - Foyles

38:47 - Still Life by Louise Penny (special edition)

41:01 - Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (leatherbound edition, pre-order out Feb 26, 2026)

41:45 - Hunger Games special edition box set

42:20 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

42:24 - The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

44:29 - The Poet Empress by Shen Tao (deluxe special edition)

46:42 - Meet Us At The Fountain

47:14 - I wish to press Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (Kaytee)

47:15 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

49:01 - For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

49:25 - Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots (pre-order, releases May 19, 2026)

50:25 - If you are feeling slumpy in your reading, I wish for you to get your eyes checked! (Meredith)

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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, Mary and Roxanna take the reins and are deep diving into their top reads of 2025!

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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**Please help us by filling out the LISTENER SURVEY before JANUARY 25th!!

1:21 - Mary and Roxanna's Reading Year

4:14 - Mary's Reading Stats:

100 books read this year and picked up some graphic novels that normally she wouldn't have read in the past

7:54 - Roxanna's Reading Stats:

68 books read this year.

26 five star reads

15% general fiction, 16% historical fiction, 15% lit fic, 13% middle grade, 20% POC authors, 96% fiction

12:03 - Join the Currently Reading Patreon to access the reading tracker

14:25 - Mary and Roxanna's Best Books of 2025

14:38 - The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar by Indra Das (Roxanna #10)

17:09 - Empty Cradle, Broken Heart by Deborah L. Davis

18:16 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Mary #10)

19:23 - Sandwich by Catherine Newman

19:40 - The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Z Hossain (Roxanna #9)

21:48 - Heart the Lover by Lily King (Mary #9)

22:36 - Writers & Lovers by Lily King

24:37 - The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe (Roxanna #8)

27:16 - The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Mary #8)

30:46 - To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers (Roxanna #7)

34:06 - The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Ladies of Mad Science: Secrets of the Purple Pearl by Kate McKinnon (Mary #7)

35:35 - The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

37:39 - The Unseen World by Liz Moore (Roxanna #6)

40:04 - The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (Mary #6)

42:27 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

43:09 - The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman (Roxanna #5)

45:00 - Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

46:01 - The Bones Beneath by Skin by T.J. Klune (Mary #5)

46:35 - House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

50:11 - Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Roxanna #4)

50:24 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

54:14 - The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller (Mary #4)

54:33 - Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

54:41 - The Change by Kirsten Miller

56:59 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Roxanna #3)

59:14 - Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross (Mary #3)

59:36 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

1:00:05 - Circe by Madeline Miller

1:00:07 - Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

1:01:02 - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Roxanna #2)

1:05:08 - The Correspondent by Virgina Evans (Mary #2)

1:08:17 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower (Roxanna #1 - the whole series!)

1:10:30 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

1:10:36 - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

1:14:41 - Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert (Mary #1 - the whole series!)

1:15:31 - Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert

1:15:31 - Lightfall: The Dark Times by Tim Probert

1:17:22 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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 discussing:

• Bookish Moments: experimenting with our reading and taking on choker books

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

• Deep Dive: answering the questions of how or why we rate our books

• 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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2:39 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

3:01- The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor

3:05 - Bookshelf Thomasville

3:07 - From the Front Porch podcast

3:31 - It by Stephen King

4:53 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (#1 in the Cromwell series)

5:30 - Footnotes and Tangents on Instagram

6:45 - The Stand by Stephen King

6:47 - Laura Tremaine on Substack

8:52 - Our Current Reads

9:00 - Matched by Ally Condie (Kaytee)

9:32 - The Giver by Lois Lowry

11:26 - The Selection by Kiera Cass

11:30 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

13:04 - Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Meredith)

14:45 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

18:15 - Cultish by Amanda Montell (Kaytee)

18:21 - Wordslut by Amanda Montell

21:52 - Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain (Meredith)

23:00 - The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

23:35 - The Painted Porch

23:40 - The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holliday

26:05 - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

27:37 - When the Tides Held the Moon by Vanessa Vida Kelley (Kaytee)

30:43 - CAWPILE

31:38 - The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (Meredith)

35:51 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

36:28 - The Last Flight by Julie Clark

36:50 - Deep Dive: How And Why We Rate Our Reads

37:53 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

37:59 - Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

38:04 - Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes

38:14 - Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito

49:41 - CAWPILE system

51:53 - Meet Us At The Fountain

52:41 - I wish that we would all pick one small way to challenge our reading this year. (Kaytee)

54:23 - I wish you would sign up for our newsletter! (Meredith)

54:25 - Sign up for the newsletter on our website

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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, Kaytee and Meredith are deep diving into their top reads of 2025. This year, they alternate between reads and superlatives. From best Cheeto chapters to books that made them uncomfortable, the year had some amazing books and experiences.

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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1:35 - Ad For Ourselves

1:54 - NYT Article about book podcasts "Seven Podcasts for Bookworms"

2:27 - Currently Reading Patreon

5:23 - Some Stats From Our Reading Lives

7:07 - 68% of reads were backlist (Kaytee)

7:38 - Kaytee read 230 books

7:59 - Meredith read 127 books

8:54 - 64% female/36%male authors (Meredith)

9:09 - Average rating of 4.1 (Meredith)

10:53 - 44% Kindle, 13% audiobook, poetry 4% of total reads, 17% nonfiction (Meredith)

12:28 - 22% romance, 20% fantasy, 14% as literary (Kaytee)

14:34 - 32% authors revisited, library serendipity #1 recommendation source followed by Elizabeth Barnhill, Roxanna and Betsie Ikenberry (Meredith)

16:13 - Katie Proctor #1 recommendation source, followed by the indie press list, libro. Fm, and Meredith (Kaytee)

17:55 - Berkeley and Random House biggest publishing houses, followed by Harper, William Morrow, Atria and Flatiron Books (Kaytee)

18:21 - Minotaur, Atria and Random House biggest publishing houses (Meredith)

19:57 - Our Top 10 Reads of 2025

20:27 - Superlative #1: Book or books you will recommend most from this year?

20:39 - A Rebellion of Care by David Gate (Kaytee)

21:20 - So Far Gone by Jess Walter (Meredith)

23:25 - The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (Meredith #10)

24:08 - You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith (Kaytee #10)

24:28 - Awake by Jen Hatmaker

24:30 - I Thought It Would Be Better Than This by Jessica Turner

25:30 - Superlative #2: Which book would be hardest to shelve in the library?

25:51 - Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Meredith)

26:02 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

27:01 - My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows (Kaytee)

27:55 - Royal Gambit by Daniel O'Malley (Meredith #9)

29:32 - Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor (Kaytee #9)

30:31 - Superlative #3: The book we wanted to throw across the room

30:38 - Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor (Meredith)

32:23 - Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Kaytee)

33:11 - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

33:57 - A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos (Meredith #8)

35:53 - My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Kaytee #8)

37:16 - Superlative #4: The book that made you the most uncomfortable

37:29 - Eager by Ben Goldfarb (Kaytee)

38:57 - Sandy Hook by Eilzabeth Williamson (Meredith)

40:25 - Forensics by Val McDermid (Meredith #7)

41:52 - Forensics by Val McDermid (Blackwells edition)

42:24 - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (Kaytee #7)

42:52 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

43:42 - Superlative #5: The best picture book that you read aloud this year

44:15 - No, David! By David Shannon (Meredith)

45:07 - The Creature of Habit by Jennifer E. Smith and Leo Espinosa (Kaytee)

46:35 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Meredith AND Kaytee #6)

47:33 - CR Season 7: Episode 46

49:09 - Superlative #6: The best audiobook experience

49:23 - Woodworking by Emily St. James (Kaytee)

50:19 - This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead (Meredith)

51:38 - North Sun by Ethan Rutherford (Meredith #5)

52:53 - This Changes Everything by Tyler Merritt (Kaytee #5)

53:01 - I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt

54:31 - Superlatives #7: Longest and shortest book read this year

54:46 - A Little Daylight Left by Sarah Kay (Meredith shortest)

55:03 - The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan (Meredith longest)

55:34 - The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman (Kaytee shortest, amazon link)

55:53 - These Truths by Jill Lepore (Kaytee longest)

56:20 - The Stand by Stephen King

57:16 - The Unseen World by Liz Moore (Meredith #4)

57:25 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

58:50 - This is Happiness by Niall Williams (Kaytee #4)

59:57 - Superlative #8: Best book outside your wheelhouse

1:00:09 - The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan (Meredith)

1:01:07 - The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Kaytee)

1:01:30 - Erasure by Percival Everett

1:01:32 - A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

1:03:34 - The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (Meredith #3)

1:07:15 - Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (Kaytee #3)

1:07:31 - Pride by Ibi Zoboi

1:08:56 - Superlative #9: Your favorite new to you author

1:09:08 - Swordheart by T. Kingfisher (Meredith)

1:09:31 - Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood (Meredith)

1:09:48 - Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope (Kaytee)

1:10:12 - The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

1:11:03 - Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito (Meredith #2)

1:12:37 - Take What You Can Carry by Gian Sardar (Kaytee #2)

1:14:07 - Superlative #10: The most milkshake book/cheeto chapter book you read this year

1:14:50 - The Other Side of the Wall by Andrea Mara (Meredith, Blackwell's link)

1:14:57 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara

1:15:53 - The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (Meredith)

1:16:35 - The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett (Kaytee)

1:18:14 - Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hockhauer (Meredith #1)

1:20:57 - Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (Kaytee #1)

1:23:13 - book print etsy shop

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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, Kaytee and Meredith are taking a look back at their favorite reads of 2021. This was one of the best reading years. This was also the year we added the superlatives which everybody loved! Most of these books should be available for you to grab if any interest you after hearing us rave about them!

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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2:38 - Our Top 10 Reads of 2021

12:35 - Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (Kaytee #10)

12:39 - Season 3: episode 40

14:09 - Currently Reading Patreon

16:39 - Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

16:52 - A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus (Meredith #10)

18:50 - The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (Kaytee #9)

21:25 - Furyborn by Claire Legrand

21:36 - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

21:56 - A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (Meredith #9)

22:21 - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

23:01 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

23:46 - The Day The World Came to Town by Jim DeFede (Kaytee #8)

23:50 - Season 4: Episode 14

25:32 - Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May (Meredith #8)

25:41 - Season 3: Episode 41

29:03 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Kaytee #7)

29:25 - Season 3: Episode 42

31:41 - State of Terror by Hilary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny (Meredith #7)

34:22 - Intermission: Lowest Rated Books

34:58 - Roar by Cecilia Ahern (Kaytee)

35:41 - Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard (Kaytee)

36:48 - Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay (Meredith)

37:30 - Survive the Night by Riley Sager (Meredith)

38:25 - Meredith and Kaytee's Top 10 Books of the Year cont'd

38:36 - Love Lives Here by Rowan Jette Knox (Kaytee #6) K NOTE: while I do think it's clear that I love my sister dearly here, I want to be extra super clear that when I say "love covers all manner of sins" I am referring to the ways we as her family fail at times to do the best we can. I am not in any way referring to her gender identity as a sin. My sister knows this, but I want to be sure that anyone else who hears me, hears me correctly as well.

40:25 - Pony by R.J. Palacio (Meredith #6)

40:50 - Page & Palette Bookshop

42:05 - Wonder by R.J. Palacio

43:01 - The Guncle by Steven Rowley (Kaytee #5)

43:04 - Season 3: Episode 45

44:29 - The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (Meredith #5)

47:46 - Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston (Kaytee #4)

47:51 - Season 3: Episode 35

47:56 - Bookshelf Thomasville

48:47 - Blackwell's

49:05 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

49:06 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

49:28 - 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

49:37 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard (Meredith #4)

53:14 - Intermission: The Books that Surprised Us Most in 2021

53:44 - Season 3: Episode 34

53:50 - The Black Count by Tom Reiss (Kaytee)

55:38 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (Meredith)

59:25 - Meredith and Kaytee's Top 10 Books of the Year cont'd

59:50 - How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith (Kaytee #3)

59:56 - Season 4: Episode 19

1:01:37 - Fabled Bookshop

1:01:39 - We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (Meredith #3)

1:04:52 - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby (Kaytee #2)

1:04:56 - Season 4: Episode 2

1:07:18 - Matrix by Lauren Groff (Meredith #2)

1:07:59 - Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

1:11:14 - All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle (Kaytee #1)

1:11:22 - Season 4: Episode 12

1:11:38 - Minisode w/Mike Gayle

1:14:09 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Meredith #1)

1:15:42 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

1:22:48 - Reflections from the 2021 Reading Year

1:24:25 - Pony by R.J. Palacio

1:24:45 - Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston

Support Us:

Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

Bookish Friends Receive:

• The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. December's IPL is a recap of the year with Kaytee and Meredith.

• Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.

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

• From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry

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

Connect With Us:

The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

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

Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans

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!