Currently Reading

Meredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb
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Jun 16, 2025 • 57min

Season 7, Episode 45: Send Your Listener Press + Summer Is For The Youths

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Mary are discussing: Bookish Moments: local bookish get togethers and summer reading Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: why middle grade and YA are perfect reads for summer The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:54 - SEND IN YOUR LISTENER PRESSES!! *Send us a voice memo with your name, where you're from, the title and author of the book you are pressing, a little about it and why you love it! Send your press to our email address currentlyreadingpodcast @ gmail . com by June 20th 4:12 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 4:35 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore 5:23 - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver 6:31 - Literally A Bookshop 7:58 - Our Current Reads 8:03 - Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill (Mary) 10:36 - Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Imiyide (Kaytee) 11:41 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson 12:10 - Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Imiyide 14:17 - Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet by Samantha Allen (Mary) 16:16 - Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen 16:36 - Real Queer America by Samantha Allen 17:06 - Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco (Kaytee) 22:34 - The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by HG Parry (Mary) 25:03 - The Magician's Daughter by HG Parry 25:13 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 25:43 - Twenty-Four Seconds From Now… by Jason Reynolds (Kaytee) 29:55 - Summer Is For The Youths 34:58 - The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan 39:07 - The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding 39:12 - Fat Chance Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado 41:03 - A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat 41:30 - Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas 41:46 - Starfish by Lisa Fipps 43:12 - The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill 43:13 - The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill 44:56 - Scythe by Neal Shusterman 44:58 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 47:24 - The Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White (Sinister Summer #1) 47:28 - The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night by Steven Banbury 49:28 - The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton (young readers version) 49:39 - Stamped by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds 49:44 - Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi 50:15 - Punching the Air by Ibi Zaboi and Yusef Salaam 50:28 - The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta 51:04 - Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham 51:45 - The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon 53:02 - Meet Us At The Fountain 53:12 - I wish that everyone would add a middle grade or YA read to their TBR this summer. (Mary) 54:21 - I wish for a bookish road map. (Kaytee) 55:05 - The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt 55:19 - After This by Claire Bidwell Smith (amazon link) 55:41 - Infused by Henrietta Lovell Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. June's IPL is brought to us by one of our anchor stores, Schuler Books in Michigan Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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Jun 9, 2025 • 55min

Season 7, Episode 44: Sick Reading + To Skim Or Not To Skim

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading while sick and reading on birthday trips Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: when it's okay to skim and when it's not The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:40 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 8:09 - Our Current Reads 8:29 - The Compound by Aisling Rawle (Meredith, pre-order releases June 24, 2025) 9:32 - Lord of the Flies by William Golding 13:54 - The Guilt Pill by Saumya Dave (Kaytee) 18:07 - The Power by Naomi Alderman 18:19 - Curfew by Jayne Cowie 18:22 - Vox by Christina Dalcher 19:07 - How to Order the Universe by Maria Jose Ferrada (Meredith) 20:36 - I'm Traveling Alone by Samuel Bjork 24:06 - Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (Kaytee) 27:46 - The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green 28:26 - Blood over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang (Meredith) 33:10 - King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby (Kaytee) 37:57 - To Skim Or Not To Skim 47:10 - Lord of the Flies by William Golding 49:52 - Meet Us At The Fountain 50:17 - I wish instagram always included what you said in addition to someone's response when interacting in DMs. (Meredith) 51:34 - I wish to press The House in the Cerulean Sea into readers' hands. (Kaytee) 51:35 - The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune 51:41 - King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby 51:47 - Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. June's IPL is brought to us by one of our anchor stores, Schuler Books in Michigan Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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Jun 2, 2025 • 57min

Season 7, Episode 43: Bookish Get Togethers + Virtual Reading Retreats

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Mary are discussing: Bookish Moments: bookish get togethers and bookish connection events Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: the ins and outs of a virtual reading retreat The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:32 - Ad For Ourselves 1:45 - Currently Reading Patreon 3:41 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 4:33 - Mystery to Me bookstore 9:56 - Our Current Reads 10:10 - Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert (Mary) 16:38 - The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon (Meredith) 21:22 - Set Piece by Lana Schwartz (Mary) 25:15 - Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie (Meredith) 26:20 - The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie 27:57 - Poirot by Mark Aldridge 29:08 - Three Apples Fell from the Sky by Narine Abgaryan (Mary) 33:16 - The Farm by Tom Rob Smith (Meredith) 34:48 - Cold People by Tom Rob Smith 37:38 - Virtual Reading Retreats 51:26 - Meet Us At The Fountain 51:38 - I wish everyone would try a buddy read with an unexpected buddy reader. (Mary) 51:50 - The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys 54:33 - I wish everyone would consider putting a virtual reading retreat on their calendar. (Meredith) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. June's IPL is brought to us by one of our anchor stores, Schuler Books in Michigan Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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May 29, 2025 • 58min

Popcorn in the Pages - Episode 11: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Welcome, readers. We are thrilled to continue this new content from the creators of Currently Reading Podcast! This spin-off podcast series will tackle book to screen adaptations in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you've read the book and watched the film version before listening to the episode, because we don't shy away from strong opinions OR from all the spoilers, unlike our regular episodes. Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped, but will still include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. These are affiliate links, so they kick back a small percentage to us if you buy through them, and help support the work we do on Currently Reading. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 1:24 - Setup The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 3:42 - Previews Release date. Sales info and awards. Released in 1999 NYT #1 Bestseller ALA's Best Book for Reluctant Readers in 2000 "Cult classic" Movie name and release date. Box office and awards. Released September 2012 20 Wins, 51 Nominations Budget of 13M, Earned 33M "Cult classic" 6:59 - The Cutting Room Pivotal Book scenes and how they translated to the screen The tunnel Charlie being high Charlie's revelation at the end Changes from Book to Movie Change from love story as secondary plot to main plot Friendships with Charlie seemed disingenuous in the movie Song in the tunnel is changed from Fleetwood Mac to David Bowie Mary Elizabeth's college acceptance Bill's girlfriend is now his wife in the movie Bill and Charlie's relationship in the movie Left out of the adaptation Charlie doesn't cry in the movie Masturbation scene Developed relationship between Charlie and his sister Abortion Lack of importance of Rocky Horror The scene where Sam tells Charlie not to think of her that way Added to the movie Charlie's siblings have names Charlie is a "normie" Casting and alternates Charlie: LoganLerman → Freddie Highmore, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Nicholas Hoult, Asa Butterfield Sam: Emma Watson → Jennifer Lawrence, Sarah Hyland, Emma Roberts, Brie Larson Patrick: Ezra Miller → Timothee Chalamet, Mary Elizabeth: Mae Whitman → Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, Rose McIver Problematic elements Lack of POC Queer representation Excessive drug and alcohol usage 32:41 - Award Season Worst and best parts of the adaptation. Film quality Unbelievable characters due to casting/age Casting - outside main characters 20 years later letter was omitted from the movie (a best part) Paul Rudd Derek's ponytail Charlie's hot brother Worst and best actors. Emma Watson - Sam Paul Rudd - Bill Ezra Miller - Patrick Worst and best book characters. Mary Elizabeth Sam Patrick 44:26 - Book/Flick Energy Book scored on a 5 star scale. Book on Goodreads Movie scored on a 10 point scale. Movie on Rotten Tomatoes Movie on IMDB 50:20 - A Leftover Popcorn Kernel If they made an after school special about our time in high school, what do you think would be the most after school special plot point? (Kaytee) If you could do high school all over again, would you? (Shad) What's your most significant or best memory from high school? (Shad) 56:30 - End Credits The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger The movie is available to stream on HBO Max for a limited time but is available to rent on other streaming services Connect With Us: Currently Reading Podcast | Kaytee | Meredith Shad is in the Bookish Friends FB Group (for our Patreon supporters) Our Website | Email Us Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Buy Some Merch
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May 26, 2025 • 60min

Season 7, Episode 42: Replant Your Reading + How To Talk About Books In The Wild

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading slumps and how to replant your reading life Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: how to talk about books "in the wild" The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:21 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 7:18 - Our Current Reads 7:37 - Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story by Rich Cohen (Meredith) 14:11 - My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (Kaytee) 14:22 - CR Season 3: Episode 1 18:34 - My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows 19:49 - The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan (Meredith) 24:49 - She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson (Kaytee) 28:02 - Lexicon by Max Barry (Meredith) 31:26 - The Rook by Daniel O'Malley 31:35 - Babel by R.F. Kuang 33:52 - The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl (Kaytee) 35:01 - The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan 35:03 - World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil 35:08 - Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer 35:09 - The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer 35:12 - An Immense World by Ed Yong 37:14 - How To Talk About Books In The Wild 39:27 - Shawnathemom on Instagram 43:56 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 45:56 - Lexicon by Max Barry 47:24 - Babel by R.F. Kuang 52:10 - Meet Us At The Fountain 52:19 - I wish the next book I talked about was a book I liked, rather than a book that I did not. (Meredith) 52:36 - A Small Porch by Wendell Berry 54:47 - I wish to always have the right book for the person in front of me. (Kaytee) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL is a new indie to the rotation - Dog Eared Books in Ames, Iowa. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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May 19, 2025 • 59min

Season 7, Episode 41: Poolside Reading + Bookish Friends' Best Books Of 2024

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: poolside reading and friends who know your reading tastes Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: it's finally time to let you know the bookish friends' best books of 2024! The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 2:30 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 6:42 - Our Current Reads 6:47 - Tempest by Beverly Jenkins (Kaytee) 10:31 - Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Meredith) 19:41 - The Dark Maestro by Brendan Slocumb (Kaytee) 19:56 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb 21:40 - Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb 24:19 - Campfires & Corpses by Nikki Weber (Meredith) 28:10 - Woodworking by Emily St. James (Kaytee) 28:45 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 31:59 - This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead (Meredith) 37:33 - Bookish Friends' Best Books of 2024 40:11 - The Women by Kristen Hannah (#4) 40:13 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (#4) 40:17 - Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being In Love by isthisselfcare (#4) 40:40 - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (#3) 40:45 - Margot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (#1) 40:47 - All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (#1) 43:36 - James by Percival Everett 43:37 - Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy 43:38 - The Wedding People by Alison Espach 44:35 - In An Instant by Suzanne Redfearn 44:57 - The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin 45:13 - All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby 45:30 - You Are Here by David Nicholls 45:31 - The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali 45:47 - Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner 46:23 - The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (#1 disliked) 46:26 - The Fury by Alex Michalides (#2 disliked) 46:30 - Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (#3 disliked) 46:33 - The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (#3 disliked) 46:47 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang 46:48 - Starling House by Alix E. Harrow 46:56 - I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid 47:05 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 47:13 - The Husbands by Holly Gramazio 47:15 - All This and More by Peng Shepherd 47:30 - The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett 49:18 - What Happened to Nina by Dervla McTiernan 50:13 - Meet Us At The Fountain 50:17 - I wish to press This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch by Tabitha Carvan. (Kaytee) 50:19 - This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch by Tabitha Carvan 52:38 - Shawnathemom on Instagram 54:31 - I wish book slumps weren't a thing. (Meredith) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL is a new indie to the rotation - Dog Eared Books in Ames, Iowa. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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May 12, 2025 • 56min

Season 7, Episode 40: Bookish Friends Step Up + Boss My TBR

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: shifting our perspectives and bookish friends stepping up Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we are bossing some more TBRs The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:23 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 5:36 - Our Current Reads 5:47 - My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Kaytee) 8:16 - Anxious People by Fredrik Backman 8:21 - Beartown by Fredrik Backman 10:16 - Night Film by Marisha Pessl (Meredith) 15:23 - The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (Kaytee) 20:29 - The Big Four by Agatha Christie (Meredith) 22:38 - Poirot by Mark Aldridge 24:28 - The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie 26:00 - Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (Kaytee) 26:38 - Pride by Ibi Zoboi 31:05 - The Beast and the Bookseller by Eva Devon (Meredith) 35:15 - The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare 36:42 - Boss My TBR From DactylJD 38:19 - Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall 39:42 - The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz 39:45 - Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan 39:48 - Real Americans by Rachel Khong 39:51 - Belle Green by Alexandra Lapierre 39:55 - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton From Terri Melton 44:42 - Hyde by Craig Russell 44:43 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett 44:49 - Falling by T.J. Newman 45:02 - Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London 45:04 - Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie 45:07 - To Shape A Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose 45:11 - A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher 49:05 - Meet Us At The Fountain 49:12 - I wish for us to try new things. (Kaytee) 51:32 - I wish to press Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore. (Meredith) 51:38 - Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL is a new indie to the rotation - Dog Eared Books in Ames, Iowa. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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May 5, 2025 • 1h 12min

Season 7, Episode 39: Brain Farts + Reading Canadian

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Roxanna are discussing: Bookish Moments: shifts in our reading and brain farts Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: reading Canadian elbows up style The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:55 - Ad For Ourselves 2:01 - Currently Reading Patreon 7:03 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 7:25 - CR Season 7: Episode 24 12:21 - CR Season 7: Episode 36 12:26 - Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri 12:51 - Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope 14:18 - Our Current Reads 14:24 - Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (Roxanna) 18:57 - Coven by Soman Chainani (Kaytee) 19:10 - The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani 23:32 - The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe (Roxanna) 28:55 - The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight (Kaytee) 29:17 - Fabled Bookshop 33:28 - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 34:03 - The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Z. Hossain (Roxanna) 38:26 - Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell (Kayee) 38:40 - Schuler Books 44:56 - Reading Canadian 48:48 - Canada Reads 48:51 - The Giller Prize 49:21 - The Push by Ashley Audrain 50:06 - Room by Emma Donoghue 50:18 - The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue 50:29 - The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue 52:01 - The Fabulous Zed Watson! by Basil Sylvester 53:18 - Women Talking by Miriam Toews 55:00 - Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley 55:08 - Finding Me by Viola Davis 55:57 - Washington Black by Esi Edugyan 56:49 - Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin 56:53 - Three Holidays and A Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley 57:02 - Much Ado About Nada Uzma Jalaluddin 57:32 - Five Little Indians by Michelle Good 1:02:20 - The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan 1:03:40 - Lucky by Marissa Stapley 1:06:24 - Meet Us At The Fountain 1:07:05 - I wish there was an easier way to export and download kindle notes and highlights. (Roxanna) 1:08:57 - I wish to press Happy Place by Emily Henry. (Kaytee) 1:09:00 - Happy Place by Emily Henry Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL is a new indie to the rotation - Dog Eared Books in Ames, Iowa. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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Apr 28, 2025 • 59min

Season 7, Episode 38: Crying Over Books + A Book That Surprised Us

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: silencing notifications and crying over books Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: a book that surprised us and how we can replicate that experience The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:27 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 6:01 - Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B. B. Alston 8:21 - Our Current Reads 8:49 - Death on Ocean Boulevard by Caitlin Rother (Meredith) 13:12 - Death at the Mansion: Rebecca Zahau on Apple TV 14:38 - Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson (Kaytee) 14:43 - Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson 18:04 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett 18:05 - A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett 18:32 - From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks (Meredith) 24:14 - She Came to Slay by Erica Armstrong Dunbar (Kaytee) 24:32 - Libro.fm 27:39 - Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes (Meredith) 34:38 - A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales (Kaytee) 34:53 - CR Season 6: Episode 7 35:00 - Schuler Books 35:07 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 38:09 - A Terribly Nasty Business by Julia Seales (pre-order, releases June 24, 2025) 39:08 - A Book That Surprised Us 39:39 - In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden (Meredith's book) 41:55 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 43:49 - Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin (Kaytee's book) 45:55 - A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales 51:12 - Meet Us At The Fountain 52:33 - I wish for you to let us know what you want us to deep dive about. Send us an email to currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com (Meredith) 54:00 - I wish to circle back to my wish about reading repair manuals and let you know about some books that fulfill that wish. (Kaytee) 54:21 - The Novel Cure by Ella Berthoud 55:49 - Bibliotherapy by Molly Masters Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. April's IPL is brought to you by Warwick's in La Jolla, California! Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
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Apr 25, 2025 • 1h 34min

A Journey to Three Pines - Episode 9: How the Light Gets In

We are so excited to journey with you to Three Pines, the fictional French-Canadian village created by Louise Penny for her Three Pines series, featuring Armand Gamache. This spin-off podcast series will tackle each of the books in the series in turn, in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you've read the book before listening to the episode. As you've come to expect with all Currently Reading content, Meredith and Roxanna will follow a regular episode format, with regular segments, so you know what to expect each and every time. We love staying focused on the book, rather than conversational rabbit holes. Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped except for broad sections, but will include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. 1:43 - Putting the Book Into Context How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny Published Aug 27, 2013 by Minotaur Books 4.48 rating on Goodreads Seasonal setting - Winter Book Awards: Edgar Award nomination for best novel, Publisher's Weekly Best Mystery/Thriller book of 2013, one of Washington Post's top 10 books of the year, one of NPR's best books of 2013. Critic Reviews Meredith's and Roxanna's encounters with the book 9:24 - The Setup 11:21 - A Deeper Exploration First paragraph The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny The pacing of the novel Dual plots that compliment each other perfectly Themes: how the light gets in, community and resistance, Subtle light vs dark - Surete vs Three Pines Dogs Ruth's addiction not a problem to solve in the series Canadian aspects Article about corruption in Quebec Dionne quintuplets wiki The ending 1:21:52 - Superlatives Character MVP Biggest loser Best food description Is this book skippable? No spoilers this episode! The next book will be The Long Way Home by Louise Penny Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. April's IPL is brought to you by Warwick's in La Jolla, California! Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

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