What Should I Read Next?

Today's guest has been suffering through a book slump over the past few years, and Anne's here to help them reconnect with their love of reading.Aimz Rushton (they/them) is a senior lecturer in the United Kingdom, where they focus on North American fiction and literature. Aimz enjoys reading literary fiction inside and outside of the classroom, but their reading's taken a hit lately and they've found it easy to get derailed from what they've always loved.While Aimz has found a few techniques that are starting to help, they're looking for Anne's guidance to get fully back on track and trust their book taste again. Anne has some ideas to share and some titles to recommend to help Aimz rediscover the reading experience they've been missing.See the full list of titles discussed today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/348 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is feeling stuck between two chapters of her reading life, and she needs a guide!13 year old Noa Hewlett knows what she's looking for in a story, but she's finding it a challenge to identify the right books for her reading taste in the more grown-up sections of the bookstore. Anne is here to share some strategies Noa can use to discover new authors, genres, and titles that will align with what she already knows she enjoys.Whether you remember being in Noa's shoes, you're in the midst of a reading transition yourself, or you want to support the kids and young readers in your life, today's conversation will help any reader navigate a period of literary change. Anne and Noa talk about a lot of titles and authors today, and you can find that full list (and leave your own recommendations for Noa) on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/347. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest has a lengthy to-be-read list, and she's not sad about it! Saadia Shafati Shamsie balances her work as a travel company owner, Department of Defense employee, and Indian Dance teacher with her passion for reading, and she's always got a book (or three) on her nightstand. But even when reading multiple books at a time, her collection of unread titles is considerable—and growing! And lately, many of her picks have been good, but not great. Saadia really wants to read books she loves, and Anne is here to help. Anne and Saadia explore what Saadia wants more of in her reading life right now, before diving into Saadia's current library of unread books. Anne recommends some hidden gems on Saadia's shelves that might just be her next 5-star reads. See the full list of titles discussed today and leave your own recommendations for Saadia over on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/346. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Readers, today Anne is joined in bookish conversation by reading advocate, author, and creator of @hereweeread Charnaie Gordon.Charnaie's passion is encouraging young readers and supporting families in diversifying their bookshelves, which she achieves through her blog, non-profit, and internet platforms, as well as books like her latest release, A Planet Like Ours.In today's episode, Charnaie and Anne talk about how Charnaie first became a reader and the way books impacted her childhood, before digging into a whole range of titles they've each loved to read and recommend. After talking about some of their favorites for readers of all ages, Anne also suggests a few novels that Charnaie may enjoy adding to her own reading list.Find the full list of the titles we talked about today over at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/345, where you'll also find links to Charnaie's website and social media accounts. Be sure to let us know in the comments which of today's titles you're most excited to read next! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Readers, we're back with the 2022 edition of our team's favorite summer reads!This tradition started with a Patreon bonus episode back in 2020, and it's continued since then right here on our podcast feed. As a team of devout readers, in between creating this podcast and the other Modern Mrs Darcy work we do each week, we do a lot (and we mean a LOT) of talking about books. Today, we're sharing some of those conversations with you.We've gathered into three different groups to talk about what summer reading means to us, what we've loved so far this season, and what we're looking forward to reading next. Our team's reading tastes are diverse, and we hope you'll hear us talk about a title that catches your interest, too. We mention a lot of titles today, and we've collected the full list along with handy links over at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/344. Be sure to let us know in the comments if you've read and loved any of the books our team shares today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we love sharing book recommendations each week, we also take great pleasure in helping our guests overcome whatever reading-related struggle they're facing at the moment. Today, Anne's talking to a guest who is torn between reading for pleasure and reading the books they feel they should be reading … even if they don’t enjoy the experience. Academic librarian Lorelei Rutledge is clear on what's working in their reading life, and they regularly turn to the specific genre that always brings them joy and delight. But Lorelei also feels a pressure to read books that are "serious" or "important", or on "everyone's" shelf right now. They've tried some of the books they'd define this way, but the reading experience usually leaves them less than satisfied.In today's conversation, Anne and Lorelei talk about what these words actually mean and how they might help guide Lorelei's reading life in the future, and Anne encourages Lorelei to overcome their book shame once and for all.See all of the titles we discussed today, and leave your own suggestions for Lorelei, at our show notes page. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/343. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Readers, today's guest shares a common reader struggle: finding the time to read!Today, Mattie James—a successful business owner and new author, releasing her first book Everyday Magic later this month—joins Anne to talk about her love of reading nonfiction. But as a busy professional, Mattie often finds it hard to make the time to read. She's looking for solutions to make the most of her time reading, even if it's just for a few minutes.Mattie grew up with a love of reading nurtured by her father, and these days she turns to books to inspire and guide her. She appreciates nonfiction that invites her reconsider her assumptions and look at things from a different perspective. When she finds a gem of a read, she'll waste no time in enthusiastically recommending it to her online community.  Today, Anne and Mattie talk about strategies to work more reading into a busy life, and Anne recommends nonfiction titles that will have a positive impact in Mattie's life and work. Leave your own recommendations for Mattie and see the full list of books mentioned on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/342.Anne's new reading journal for kids My Reading Adventures is now available wherever you get your books–and just in time to make it a fun back-to-school treat for the young reader in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Around here, we love celebrating reading memories and creating new ones, and today's show does just that!Anne's newest book journal for young readers, ​My Reading Adventures​, is out today—and to celebrate the power of reading in young lives, we asked our listeners to share some of ​their​ favorite childhood reading memories. Anne's here, too, of course, with some moments that stand out in her reading memory.Plus, in today's episode we embark on a journey between the pages of My Reading Adventures, sharing the fun features that make it a perfect reading companion for 8-12 year old readers, or anyone young at heart.Tell us your favorite childhood reading memories by leaving a comment over on our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/341.Get your copy of My Reading Adventures from any of these online retailers or from your local book seller: Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop Books-A-Million Christianbook Book Depository Carmichael’s Bookstore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices