What Should I Read Next?

In today's episode, Anne is chatting with author, actress, and audiobook narrator Julia Whelan.

You may know Julia from her novel My Oxford Year, or her new book releasing August 2nd, Thank You For Listening, and many readers are also familiar with Julia's voice from her many audiobook narrations.

Anne and Julia chat about the art and process of creating the audiobooks so many readers love, and reflect on the joys and challenges of the professional reading life, before sharing a long list of titles they've loved. Whether you're already a fan of Julia's or you're just discovering her today, you'll walk away with some recommendations of books that especially shine on audio, and some new insight into this creative side of the book industry.

You can find Julia on Twitter, and be sure to check out our show notes page for links to the titles we discussed today. Leave us a comment on that post to share your favorite audiobook! That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/340.

My Reading Adventures, Anne's new book journal for young readers, comes out next Tuesday, August 2nd! It takes the thoughtful features, useful tools, and inspiring book nerdery from her adult journal, My Reading Life, and presents it in a fun and approachable format that’s perfect for your eight to 12-year-old reader.

When you order your copy before August 2nd, you’ll get an assortment of bonuses as a thank you: an exclusive digital reading list featuring my top picks for kids and adorable and useful custom stickers sent directly to your mailbox.

Visit modernmrsdarcy.com/kidsjournal to find links to buy your copy from your favorite bookseller and claim your bonuses once you’ve ordered.

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Adrien Kordas has always identified as a reader, and in the past few years she's been excited about completing grad school so she could devote more time to reading for fun. But now that she actually has the time to read at whim, she's been surprised to find that the kind of titles she's loved in the past aren't working as well for her, and she's not sure what to do about it.

In today's conversation, Anne and Adrien talk about recapturing the childhood magic of reading and what to do when your reading tastes evolve. Anne makes some recommendations to welcome Adrien into this new stage of her reading life.

If you have a recommendation for Adrien, let us know in the comments over at our show notes page, where you'll also find the link to Adrien's instagram account and a full list of the titles we discussed today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/339.

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Readers, we're so excited to share today's collaboration with you. Anne is joined on the show today by Craig Getting and Andrew Cunningham, hosts of the show Overdue–a podcast about the books you’ve been meaning to read.

On their podcast, Craig and Andrew explore the backlist titles many readers feel like they “should” have read by now, but today, Anne, Craig, and Andrew talk about a wide range of bookish topics, from the perks of having a built-in reading buddy, to the titles they would never have read if not for the show and ended up LOVING. They also share how much their reading lives have improved through reading books they didn't love.

Anne wraps up the conversation by sharing a few titles Craig and Andrew will want to add to their personal reading lists.

See the full list of titles mentioned during today's show on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/338, and connect with Craig and Andrew at their website, on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

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Our guest today, Chicago-area reader Rebecca Freeman, struggles with a reading challenge we hear about often from guests and community members: how to balance being a mood reader with maintaining any kind of to-be-read list.

In Rebecca's reading life, she's found the library a big help: browsing what's available to check out at any given time lets her bring some serendipity into selecting her next read. But while she shies away from anything that feels like a prescriptive list, she'd like to have some guidance to help her feel satisfied that she'll enjoy her selections. And, she's eager for tips to help her explore reading series without feeling any pressure.

Anne and Rebecca discuss techniques that could give Rebecca the support she's looking for without feeling constricting, and Anne recommends a few titles that Rebecca can keep an eye out for next time she's browsing her library shelves.

See the full list of titles discussed on today's show at our show notes page. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/337.

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Readers, June is audiobook month, and in today's conversation, Anne talks with a dedicated audiophile who wants to discover the formula for a great audio reading experience!

Jackie Branz works as a gardener and florist on a private estate, and while she's hard at work keeping the plants happy and thriving, she also gets to enjoy another of her great loves: reading. Jackie enjoys getting pulled into a great audiobook while she's working in the garden, but sometimes she struggles to find the right fit.

Anne & Jackie talk about creating a formula to help guide Jackie's audiobook selections, before discussing some specific titles that will give Jackie that immersive experience she's seeking. Along the way, they touch on finding the right titles to read on audio vs print, reading around the world, and the library’s book bingo, which plays a significant factor in Jackie’s reading selections in this season.

Find the full list of titles discussed today over on our shownotes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/336.

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Readers, our guest today is on the hunt for overlooked titles and compelling characters that feel like friends.

Andrea Medina lives in Mexico, where she reads in both Spanish and English to expand the range of options on her shelf. Since falling in love with the power of a gripping story as a teen, Andrea's sought out complex tales that speak to real life, and books that she'll keep thinking about after turning the final page.

Today, Anne and Andrea talk about rediscovering what you really love about reading, and Anne points Andrea to some books that offer the authentic scenarios and engaging writing she loves so much.

Find the full list of titles discussed today over at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/335, and leave a comment with your suggestions for Andrea.

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Today's guest knows what he likes on the nonfiction shelf, but he's feeling lost when it comes to finding his next fiction read, and Anne is here to help.

Wes Martin's developed a love of nonfiction in both his professional role as an industrial and organizational psychologist, and in his personal life. But recently, Wes has found himself turning more to fiction for his reading enjoyment, and he's not very confident about navigating this section of the bookstore. This is especially frustrating because he's recently started to really enjoy fiction and he wants more of this reading experience!

Anne and Wes talk about where he's struggled in selecting his next fiction title, and explore the themes and elements that make a fictional read feel satisfying. Anne also suggests structures and systems Wes can apply to help build readerly resilience and reach with confidence for his next pick from the fiction shelf.

Leave your own recommendations for Wes and see the full list of titles we discussed today over at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/334.

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Readers, a good book makes a perfect vacation companion, and today we're pairing a cross-section of titles with three fabulous summery destinations!

Joining Anne on the show today is Lynette Calleros, a travel agent who wants to provide her customers with curated, destination-inspired reading lists. She's here for Anne's help in matching three of her commonly booked destinations with “book flights”—purposeful, thematic literary pairings—she can suggest to her travelers. 

Lynette and Anne also chat about Lynette's own reading tastes, the unique challenge of packing books for a vacation, and the specific type of travel narrative she NEVER wants to recommend to her clients!

Whether you’re traveling this summer or staying close to home, this episode will equip you for adventure and fuel your wanderlust with recommendations that span genres and continents.

Leave your own recommendations for Lynette and see the full list of titles shared today over at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/333.

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Readers, today we're thrilled to welcome Emily Henry to the show! You may recognize her from the 2021 Summer Reading Guide, where we featured her book People We Meet on Vacation, or our Modern Mrs Darcy book club, where she joined us in a delightful conversation.

Today, Emily and Anne talk about the titles they reach for when the temperatures rise and the pool (or beach) beckon, and what they mean when they describe a book as a "beach read". They'll also dive into conversation about her brand-new release Book Lovers, the appeal of books set in the world of publishing, and Nora Ephron. To wrap up, Anne and Emily each share some of their favorite beach reads, leaving you with a nice selection of titles to explore this season, and a permission slip to read exactly what you want this summer.

Connect with Emily on her website, Instagram, and Twitter, and find her newest title Book Lovers wherever you love to buy books! You can find all of the titles we discussed today over on our show notes page.

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Readers, it's almost summer reading season (our 2022 Summer Reading Guide releases next week!), and today's conversation is just filled with summer reading energy. It's also a What Should I Read Next first, as we have four readers talking books and reading in today's show.

Dive into summer reading today with Anne, her husband Will, and their reading buddies Melissa Joulwan and Dave Humphreys. You may recognize Mel and Dave from when they joined Anne in WSIRN Episode 219: Required reading revisited, or from their podcast, Strong Sense of Place, our favorite literary tourism podcast.

With summer reading season just ahead of us, today's conversation is full of talk about what makes a book a summer read, why some stories simply couldn't be set any other time of year, and of course, which books are on our eternal summer shelves. You'll walk away eager to find a sunny space to sit and crack open your next read. 

See the full list of titles we discussed today over at our show notes page, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/331. And, explore Mel and Dave's podcast at their website, on Instagram, and on Facebook.

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