Historical fiction is a popular genre among many, but today's guest learned a lot about her reading life when she realized this genre wasn't for her!

Today Anne is talking with Laura Howard, an Atlanta-area faculty developer and part-time university professor. She’s always seen reading as both a personal joy and a form of connection, whether with the fellow members of her longstanding book club or with other friends and neighbors. 

When Laura realized she wasn't a fan of historical fiction, she was also able to pinpoint why: she’d prefer to learn about the actual history of events before reading fiction inspired by real life. She also has a specific list of topics she’d love to explore via engrossing nonfiction books. A high priority is keeping those books on the shorter side. Laura has tried to research on her own to find titles that meet her needs, but she’s found the options online to be totally overwhelming. That brings her here today: Anne and Laura dive in to identify great nonfiction about history.

Please share your ideas for Laura by leaving a comment on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/504, where you'll also find the list of titles discussed today.

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Breaking into a new genre can feel intimidating. Today Anne is talking with a reader who is keen to explore cozy mysteries, but isn't sure where to begin.

Amber Richcreek lives in Bellingham, Washington with her family, where she’s a pre-k teacher and enjoys baking and photography in her spare time. She’s also a lifelong reader and a fan of emotional, character-driven contemporary fiction. 

Lately Amber’s been intrigued by the cozy mystery genre, but when she turns to the internet for tips on where to start, she’s quickly overwhelmed. Amber would love to get acquainted with this genre and better understand how to navigate it as a new reader in this space, and Anne is here to help.

We also know that many readers are drawn to cozy titles this time of year, so it feels like a great time to explore the various subgenres of cozy mystery.

Find the titles mentioned today and leave your recommendations for Amber on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/503.

Our shop is full of both new and returning favorites right now. Our much-loved tote bag makes a great gift—or gift-wrapping—for your favorite reader. Plus we have our new collection of Leuchtturm 1917 embossed journals in custom colors selected by our team along with t-shirts and stickers, signed copies of Anne's books, buttons and pencils, and more. Check it all out at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop and if you’re ordering for holiday delivery, please place your order as early as you can.

There's still time to call and share your stories for our upcoming episode. To tell us about a favorite title you discovered thanks to What Should I Read Next, please call us by November 23 at 502-627-0663 and leave us a short voicemail. Please call from a quiet place so we can hear everything you have to say and our listeners can hear you well on the show. We can't wait to listen to your messages.

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We all know that book gifts are the best gifts, and today Anne is talking with a devoted reader who's come to the show looking for guidance on selecting great bookish gifts for the season to come.

Meredith Amadee lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she works as a wedding photographer and hosts a book club that's come to play a big part in her life. Every year, this book club hosts a book exchange for its members, and today Meredith would love recommendations that will be perfect for these special readers in her life.

She's on the hunt for backlist selections for her fellow members, and is looking for help in choosing the specific titles. She and Anne also talk more broadly about what makes a good literary gift. We hope this conversation might be just the inspiration and empowerment you need to find great gifts for the readers in your life, too.

Find the list of titles mentioned today and leave your ideas for Meredith's book club at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/502.

We've recently restocked our shop with our popular totes, hats, and our new custom journals in a variety of beautiful colors. We also have our usual selection of t-shirts, copies of my books that are always signed when you order from us, great stickers, buttons, and more. Check out what's new and what's back in stock at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.

Help us celebrate a major milestone coming up in the new year by lending your voice and stories to a future episode. By November 23rd, please give us a call and tell us about a favorite book that you found through What Should I Read Next. To participate, call us at 502-627-0663 and leave us a short voicemail. Please call from a quiet place so we can hear everything you have to say and our listeners can hear you well on the show. We can't wait to learn about your literary discoveries.

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When she discovered the idea of a personal curriculum, today's guest couldn't wait to apply this concept to her reading life.

Amy St. Amand, a primary care clinical pharmacist from Rhode Island, wants to know a little bit about a whole lot of things. She's working to build a personal learning plan that encompasses a variety of her assorted interests, and she's here today for Anne's help in developing and refining her selected topics.

Anne couldn't wait to hear more about Amy's approach, why this idea resonated with her so much, and her progress so far. After they explore Amy's project, Anne recommends a whole lot of mostly nonfiction books that will help Amy delve deeper into her chosen topics.

See the list of titles mentioned today at our show notes page, which you'll find at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/501.

If you're a member of our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club, today's topic may sound familiar in a really fun way. We touched on the idea of a personal curriculum in our recent book club class, A Close Look at Great Books. Among other topics, this class explored our community manager Ginger Horton's ongoing grad school experience focused on a Great Books curriculum, and how you can apply some of those ideas to your own reading life.

If this sounds like good nerdy fun to you, head over to ModernMrsDarcy.com/club for even more of these types of conversations.

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Today marks a major milestone: the 500th episode of What Should I Read Next!

To celebrate, Anne is joined by two guests today. First, you'll hear her in conversation with our What Should I Read Next Patreon Community Manager Shannan Malone as they explore what's new in our Patreon community space. Then, Anne welcomes one of our previous guests back to the show to talk about how her reading life has evolved since their first conversation nearly two and a half years ago.

Michelle Acierno Loftus joined Anne back in episode 378 to share her experience of rediscovering the joy of reading via her YA book club. As we mark 500 episodes of talking all things books and reading, it seemed a great moment to look back at just one way that What Should I Read Next has shaped an individual's life.

While much has changed in Michelle's life since her last conversation with Anne, as you'll hear, her reading life is still going strong. And yet, it's also shifted. Today, she and Anne discuss Michelle's recent explorations into nonfiction and character-driven, introspective stories. They also dive into how Anne's previous recommendations for Michelle landed, what's working for her these days, and what she's looking for right now in her reading life. Anne shares recommendations for Michelle, and each of them recommend titles that might work for many readers.

Find the full list of the titles mentioned today and share a comment to help us celebrate our 500th episode on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/500.

If you'd like to hear from more past guests or experience the bonus episodes Anne and Shannan discuss at the top of today's show, please come over and join us on Patreon. That's where we share bite-size insights into the reading life and a behind-the-scenes look into the podcast, as well as book recommendations galore. To all of the readers who support us on Patreon, thank you. We couldn't do this without you. If you'd like to join us there, you'll find all the details at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.

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One of our favorite things to do in our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club is connect with the authors we all love. Every so often we have the opportunity to share one of those conversations with all of you, too.

Today you'll be hearing from Kevin Wilson, author of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide selection Run for the Hills and a writer we've long looked forward to hosting in this space. Our conversation covers a lot of ground today, from Wilson's approach to writing his stories to topics like what it means to fit in, how weirdness impacts his writing style, and how a PT Cruiser ended up as a key feature in his book.

We kick off today's conversation with a bit of behind the scenes conversation between Anne and our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger Horton. We wanted to give you some idea of what you're going to be listening to today. Whether you've read Kevin Wilson or not, we think you'll enjoy this opportunity to hear an author talk about their work and their process in a really interesting way.

Find the list of titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/499.

In addition to other major milestones, we're about to celebrate our 10-year anniversary of the Book Club. Today we share insights into what exactly we do in Book Club and why you might want to consider joining us in what we call the best corner of the internet. Find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/club.

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Returning to favorite TV shows is a common stress management strategy. Today’s guest would love to find books that deliver the same soothing feelings she gets from re-watching her favorite comfort shows.

Kayla King lives on a small-scale dairy and hobby farm in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania. A lifelong reader, Kayla's recently started to branch out from her usual genres of mysteries, thrillers, and science fiction and fantasy. When Kayla wrote in with her request to help her find books that could offer alternatives to her regular comfort TV viewing, it felt like such a relatable question.

Anne explores this idea with Kayla and leaves her with recommendations that she can reach for the next time she wants to channel those comforting vibes and while experiencing a great story in book form.

Find the list of titles mentioned today and leave your ideas for Kayla on our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/498.

If you love tuning into this show each week, you'll also love our What Should I Read Next? Patreon community. Every Friday, we share bonus episodes with our members. Last Friday's episode featured a deep-dive on library digital collections and how they work. Our Patreon community members enjoy our entire archive of bonus episodes as well as invitations to our seasonal events, like our recent Fall Book Preview Unboxing.

The podcast industry has been shifting quite a lot in recent years, and more than ever, we rely on our Patreon community members for financial support. For everyone who is already providing that support, thank you again. And if you've been listening along for years and would like to make sure we continue to show up in your podcast feeds every week, consider coming over and joining us on Patreon. Learn more and sign up at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.

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Book events and festivals are always a favorite around here. Today's conversation dives deep into the art and craft of creating an engaging literary festival as Anne welcomes Sarah Moriarty, the Executive Director of the Charleston Literary Festival, to the show.

They talk about what goes into curating such a festival, what you may be glad to know before attending a literary festival yourself, and what makes a particularly satisfying in-person gathering. Especially when it comes to a good conversation about the books we love, or the books we didn't even know about before but are so glad we discovered.

Sarah also shares her three-point recommendation for getting the most out of your festival experience. She tells us more about how she came to be in this position and shares details about this November's event, which is welcoming more than 70 writers and thinkers from around the globe, including more than a few names you have heard on this show before.

Whether you've got this specific festival or a future one on your wish list, you'll hear great tips in today's conversation. Please share your suggestions or favorite festival moments by leaving a comment over on our show notes page, where you'll also find the list of titles discussed today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/497.

As we get ready to mark our 500th episode, we want to take a moment to thank our Patreon community and the members there that help support the show's creation each week. If you're not yet a member of this community, it's a wonderful time to consider joining us. Each month we share bonus episodes on a rotating theme, including Industry Insights deep-dives, One Great Book episodes, Mini-Matchmaking sessions, Dear Book Therapist responses, and team member features like our Starter Guides.

On top of all of the bonus episodes, our community members also enjoy full access to all our Summer Reading Guides and seasonal book previews, as well as our upcoming Team Best Books of the Year feature. Get the details and join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext.

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When the world feels heavy, many of us reach for books. Today's guest is looking for a specific style of comfort reads.

Jemima Welsh is joining Anne today all the way from Brisbane, Australia, where she lives with her family and her pets, including four chickens named for the March sisters. 

Right now, Jemima is specifically looking for books that feel, quite literally, close to home. She's looking for stories that feature warm, rambling houses, complex but inherently lovable and perhaps found families, and scenes of cheerful domesticity. 

Anne shares ideas for Jemima and other readers seeking a similar reading experience. Find the full list of the books discussed at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/496.

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,The team at MMD HQ has always been enthusiastic about fall reading. We shared our first Fall Book Preview back in 2019, and last week we released the seventh annual edition. Today, we’re sharing a sneak peek into this year's event that concludes with Anne describing the first three books in our literary and contemporary fiction category. 

Our Fall Book Preview offers the gentle guidance you’re looking for in selecting your fall reads. This preview and its 35 books are all hand-selected by Anne, and in our Unboxing event recording, she tells you about why she chose every title and why it might (or might not!) appeal to YOU.

If this excerpt makes you want to go deeper into this particular type of book talk, you can access your own copy of this year's Fall Book Preview and the Unboxing replay immediately by joining our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, our Patreon Community, or purchasing your a la carte ticket. Find all of the details and choose your preferred way to get your Preview at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp.

Find out more about today’s episode at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/495. 

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