What Should I Read Next?

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Ep 479: Balancing backlist with shiny new releases

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May 27, 2025

Guest

Elise Brancheau

Elise Brancheau, a New Jersey-based classical singer and reading-planning enthusiast, chats about the fine art of balancing new releases with timeless backlist gems. She shares her strategies for incorporating shiny summer titles without derailing her meticulously crafted reading plans. The conversation also highlights managing anxiety through literature and offers a treasure trove of summer book recommendations, from lesser-known backlist reads to contemporary family sagas, all while reflecting on the evolving landscape of personal literary tastes.

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Episode notes

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ANECDOTE

Proofreading Revealed Reading Preferences

Elise proofread novels for Penguin, discovering her dislikes for paranormal romance and complex fantasy.
She learned she enjoys proofreading because it focuses on errors, not the book’s plot or genre.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Survival Journey in The Faster Wilds

The book "The Faster Wilds" follows a young girl’s survival journey in the early America wilderness.
This quiet yet urgent story deeply explores transformation and the natural world’s vivid details.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Emotional Impact of Northwoods

Elise sobbed finishing "Northwoods" during a six-hour airport delay.
The book's deep themes of history, memory, and nature profoundly changed her perspective.

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The Journey Through Pages

05:04 • 12min

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Navigating Anxiety Through Books and Summer Reads

16:43 • 4min

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Literary Reflections: From Darkness to Light

20:16 • 24min

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Balancing Reading Routines

44:29 • 7min

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Balancing Your Reading Preferences and Mental Health

51:45 • 3min

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Summer Book Recommendations

54:48 • 15min

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Summer Reading Recommendations: A Balance of New and Backlist Titles

The Vaster Wilds is a historical novel that follows the story of a young servant girl who flees a colonial settlement in the wilderness. With only her wits and a few possessions, she must survive the unforgiving environment, encountering various challenges such as hunger, disease, and interactions with Native people. The novel is both a thrilling adventure and a penetrating fable that reflects on colonialism, the place of women in society, and the resilience needed to survive in a hostile world. Through vivid imagery and a compelling narrative, Groff tells the story of America in miniature, highlighting the girl's journey as a symbol of adaptation and survival in the face of overwhelming odds.

Fingersmith

Sarah Waters

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters is a gripping historical novel set in Victorian England. It follows the story of Sue Trinder, a young orphan raised by a 'baby farmer', who becomes involved in a plot to defraud a wealthy heiress, Maud Lilly. As the story unfolds, Sue and Maud develop unexpected feelings for each other amidst a complex web of deception and betrayal. The novel explores themes of love, loyalty, and the power dynamics between characters.

The Snow Child is Eowyn Ivey's debut novel, set in the Alaskan wilderness of the 1920s. The story follows Jack and Mabel, a middle-aged couple who, after the loss of their newborn, move from Pennsylvania to Alaska to start a new life. In a moment of levity, they build a snow child, which mysteriously comes to life as a young girl named Faina. The novel explores themes of longing, loss, and the power of imagination as Jack and Mabel form a bond with Faina, who is both a real child with a troubled past and a figure from a Russian fairy tale. The book delves into the harsh realities of life in the wilderness and the emotional journeys of its characters, blending elements of fantasy, myth, and psychological insight.

Oliver Twist

The 1838 Theatrical Adaptation

George Almar

This adaptation was first performed in the fall of 1838, before the full text of Dickens' original novel had been released. It is a serio-comic burletta that deviates from the original novel, and Dickens himself was reportedly horrified by the performance. The adaptation highlights the theatrical interpretation of Dickens' work during the Victorian era.

Joyland

Stephen King

Michael Kelly.

In 'Joyland', Stephen King tells the story of Devin Jones, a college student who works as a carny at an amusement park in North Carolina during the summer of 1973. The narrative intertwines themes of love, loss, and growing up, as Devin becomes involved in uncovering the legacy of a vicious murder and forms a bond with a dying child and his mother. The book is a blend of mystery, horror, and coming-of-age elements, characteristic of King's storytelling style.

Northwoods

Scott Russell Sanders

Elizabeth von Arnim's "The Enchanted April" is a novel about a group of women who rent a castle in Italy. The novel explores themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the restorative power of nature. Von Arnim's witty writing and charming characters make the novel a delightful read. The novel's exploration of female relationships and the importance of personal growth continues to resonate with readers. The novel's setting in Italy adds to its charm and provides a backdrop for the characters' transformations.

The novel follows Nathan Zuckerman, a promising young writer, as he spends a night at the home of E.I. Lonoff, a renowned author. During his visit, Zuckerman becomes fascinated with Lonoff's assistant, Amy Bellette, and imagines her to be Anne Frank, leading to a series of imaginative and introspective episodes. The book explores themes of identity, literary responsibility, and the Jewish experience.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes" is a dark fantasy novel that follows two young boys, Jim Nightshade and William Halloway, who encounter a mysterious carnival that arrives in their town. The carnival offers tempting but dangerous deals, leading the boys on a journey of self-discovery and confronting their deepest fears. The novel explores themes of good versus evil, temptation, and the passage of time. Bradbury's evocative prose and unsettling atmosphere create a captivating and unsettling reading experience. The story is a timeless exploration of childhood, adolescence, and the power of dark forces.

Bug Hollow

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Michelle Hunovan

Madalena and the Dark

Every year we get some variation of this question: how can a reader like today’s guest, Elise Brancheau, balance all the shiny new books of summer with the backlist titles that are already patiently waiting on her to-be-read list?

Elise is a New Jersey-based professional classical singer who describes herself as a huge reading-planning nerd. We know Elise is in good company here! But with all of the summer reading titles coming her way, Elise is wondering how she can unapologetically embrace old and new possibilities to read right now.

Anne always loves to talk about this particular reading dilemma, so today she and Elise explore how a reader who loves to plan can also incorporate shiny new summer releases into her reading rhythms without throwing those carefully laid plans way off course.

Find the titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/479.

If you haven't ordered your Summer Reading Guide yet, there's still plenty of time. It's a great way to add to your summer reading list while tangibly supporting our show. Snag your copy at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg.

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