Episodes

  • Ep 444: Our team's best books of summer

    Ep 444: Our team's best books of summer
    Aug 27 2024
    Today we're back with the 2024 installment of our popular summer reading roundup, where members of our team pair up to talk about their favorite summer reads. You'll hear our team in conversation today, exploring our summer reading experiences and the titles we can't stop talking about. Around here we talk books all year round, but episodes like these are especially fun, and always mean we're adding a bunch of new titles to our own to-be-read lists. We read widely around here, so no matter what you love to read, we think you'll hear a title that catches your attention today. Find the full list of titles mentioned and leave a comment to share your summer reading superlatives at our show notes page: whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/444. Just in time for fall, we've released a fresh and fun collection of merch! From fun new buttons and sticker designs to favorites like our To Be Read tote and our Book Camp sweatshirts, you're sure to find something delightful. See all our merch and shop at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Ep 443: Backlist picks for immediate library hold gratification

    Ep 443: Backlist picks for immediate library hold gratification
    Aug 20 2024
    A limited reading selection often leads to delightful serendipity, and today Anne's chatting with a guest who has had just that experience. Rachel Elaine Martens and her family recently lived in Budapest for a year. During this time, Rachel Elaine had access to her U.S. library's virtual collection, but she also made use of a small shelf of left-behind books in the house she was staying in. Now that she's back home in Missouri with a broader selection of choices, she'd like to keep that serendipitous flair while also inviting more of an intentional flow into her book selections. Rachel Elaine enjoys picking up her latest library discovery, but she'd love to discern a clearer arc to her reading selections and feel less whiplash from constantly jumping between genres that feel like they have nothing in common other than coming up on her library holds list. Rachel Elaine has a definite preference for backlist books, too, and today Anne suggests titles to create the intentional reading experience Rachel Elaine's seeking. Find the full list of titles mentioned in today's episode at our show notes page, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/443. Ready for even more great reading? Join us on Wednesday, September 18th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview. During this live event, we will walk through some of the most anticipated titles of the fall season, including the books Anne has read and loved, and the titles she can't wait to read. Members of our Patreon community and our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club are invited to join us: this event is a perk of membership in those communities. Our Fall Book Preview is also available a la carte for those that just want to join us for this one event. Find out more and sign up at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • Ep 442: Your TBR is not a to-do list

    Ep 442: Your TBR is not a to-do list
    Aug 13 2024
    Readers, we have celebrated birthday milestones here on the podcast before, and today Anne is talking with a guest who designed the ultimate book party for her recent 50th birthday. Kelly Davis lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where she works for her alma mater and enjoys caring for her garden and listening to audiobooks. For Kelly's recent 50th birthday, she planned a big celebration at her local beignet company, and in lieu of other presents, she asked guests to bring a book that they loved. Kelly's goal was collecting 50 books for 50 years, and her party was a great success. But the fun didn't stop there. In a project that would speak to many nerdy reader hearts, Kelly created a master document to analyze the books she received, including lots of charts and graphs. Today, Kelly is here to get Anne's help in creating a plan and choosing which of these titles to reach for next. Find the list of titles mentioned today and let us know which titles you'd recommend for Kelly at our show notes page, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/442. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • Ep 441: Lucy Foley talks secrets, lies, murder, and mystery writing

    Ep 441: Lucy Foley talks secrets, lies, murder, and mystery writing
    Aug 6 2024
    Today we're excited to share Anne's recent conversation with author Lucy Foley, from a live event hosted by Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky. In today's show, Anne and Lucy kick things off by discussing Lucy's new revenge thriller The Midnight Feast and the real-life places and trips that inspired its atmospheric setting. Lucy also shares about her evolving career as an author, her love of writing unlikable characters, and what she delightfully calls the unholy trinity of women authors she can't get enough of. Thanks to Lucy Foley and to Carmichael's Bookstore for hosting this event and inviting us to share this lively book talk with all of you today. Find the list of titles mentioned and let us know which Lucy Foley book is your favorite in the comments section on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/441. If you'd love to talk books with Anne, we've just re-opened our guest submission form and we're excited to see your submissions! While we're always open to unique readerly conundrums and would love to read about yours, right now we're also especially looking for your stories or reading experiences that feature cozying up for a cooler season, reflecting on thankfulness, or books that haunt you. Learn more and share your submission at modernmrsdarcy.com/guest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 mins
  • Ep 440: Anne's midyear reading check-in

    Ep 440: Anne's midyear reading check-in
    Jul 30 2024
    With the year just over half way through, Anne is stepping back to see how her reading year is going. Today, she and Shannan Malone are doing a little midyear check-in to see how this year has been going so far reading-wise, and what they are most excited about in the coming months. They consider whether they're actually reading what they want to be reading this year, whether they have any intentions to pivot for fall and winter months, and if or how they reading tastes and desires have evolved since they last checked in on this. Anne and Shannan share reflective practices or questions to help you conduct your own midyear check in, if you are so inclined. But regardless of how you approach your reading life, this is, above all, a call to ask yourself, what do you want from your books right now? Because reading time is precious, and we want to help you feel good about how you are using yours. Learn more about conducting your own midyear check-in and get a full list of all of the books discussed in this episode at https://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/440 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 mins
  • Ep 439: How many book clubs is too many book clubs?

    Ep 439: How many book clubs is too many book clubs?
    Jul 23 2024
    In today's episode from the WSIRN vault, Anne is sharing her very first podcast conversation with Brigid Misselhorn. Like so many of our guests, Brigid came to the show through our WSIRN guest submission form. But these days she works on our team as our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. This is fitting, because as you’ll hear in today’s episode, Brigid is totally addicted to book clubs. At the time of this episode, she was an active member of seven book clubs. She really enjoys how participation in these communal reading groups invites memorable conversation and a structured reading life. Brigid describes herself as a naturally slow reader, and today she's sharing a bunch of tips for finishing all those book club picks on time. She and Anne also discuss the origins of her book club addiction, the benefits of audiobooks, and balancing personal reading with book club reading, before Anne recommends titles Brigid might enjoy reading next. You'll find the full list of titles mentioned as well as a round-up of other places you can connect with Brigid at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/439. This episode wraps up our summer series featuring members of our team, but throughout the month of July we've also been catching up with each team member to hear about their reading life now. That's all happening over on our Patreon page. Podcasting from a business standpoint has been especially wonky lately, and the financial support from our patrons is a huge part of what keeps our show on the air each week. Bonus episodes like these team follow-ups are just one way we say thanks. And if you're interested in even more insight into how the publishing world all works, we think you'll especially enjoy our latest bonus episode, where Anne is taking you behind the scenes to talk all things book advances and royalties. Find this bonus episode and so many more at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 mins
  • Ep 438: Life is short & my TBR is way too long

    Ep 438: Life is short & my TBR is way too long
    Jul 16 2024
    Today we're excited to continue our mid-summer series featuring our team members! Learning more about our team members and who shares your tastes may help you identify some good books in a way that might not land on your radar otherwise. We hope you love this conversation. Anne is revisiting her very first conversation with Alabama reader Shannan Malone in today's conversation. Since this episode originally aired, Shannan has joined our team as our co-host and contributor, but in today's show, Shannan and Anne go back to where it all began. Shannan has broad taste and high standards, as you will hear. Even authors that she's loved in the past don't get a free pass, and maybe not even the benefit of the doubt. So today's episode goes out to all you eclectic readers who love hopping between genres. Anne and Shannan discuss the struggle of pinpointing what you dislike about a book that everyone else thinks is amazing, awkward characters that are endearing to introverted readers, and much, much more. You'll find the full list of titles mentioned today, along with links to other episodes, blog posts, or features contributed by Shannan and other team members at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/438. If you're curious about Shannan's reading life now, be sure to join us over in Patreon where Anne is catching up with the team members whose voices you are hearing for the month of July and hearing all about how their reading lives have changed since they were first featured on the show. Those conversations are a lot of fun—find them at Patreon.com./whatshouldireadnext. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • Ep 437: An epic birthday bookstore roadtrip

    Ep 437: An epic birthday bookstore roadtrip
    Jul 9 2024
    Welcome back to our July series brought to you by the What Should I Read Next? time machine. This month, we're going back in our archives to share episodes with four of our team members. When these episodes were originally recorded, no one involved had any idea that these readers would be on our team eventually, so it's especially fun to re-listen knowing everything that happened after Anne and these guests first spoke on the podcast. Today we are revisiting Anne's conversation with Donna Hetchler, which was originally Episode 83. In this episode Donna and Anne dive into Donna's then-developing plans for the epic 50th birthday bookstore road trip she had in the works. As Donna says, the planning is half the fun, and she brings us into her planning details from the specific West Coast bookstore she wants to visit, the books she wants to purchase, and the friends who will join her along the way. This episode has become a listener favorite and continues to inspire many of you to plan your own book projects for big milestones. We think you'll love this chance to listen to Donna share about the trip that started it all. And if you're curious what Donna and our other team members are reading lately, be sure to check out our corresponding Patreon series, where Anne will be hosting follow-ups to hear from each team member about how they feel about re-listening to their episode, and what their reading life is like now. Find that and so much more happening over at Patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. We have that link along with all of the links to the titles Donna mentioned today and other places you'll hear from Donna and our team over at our show notes page. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/437. What Should I Read Next? is sponsored by BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    52 mins