Currently Reading

It's #middlegradeMarch and so, of course, Meredith is excited to be talking to Ben Guterson, the author of the Winterhouse Trilogy of middle-grade novels. These are some of our favorite books of the year. In this bonus mini episode, or "minisode", Ben talks about his inspiration for the novels, what's coming up in the third book, as well as a bit about his own life as a reader. And, he gives us a book he wants to "press" into every reader's hands, too. Here are the books we mention in this episode: Winterhouse by Ben Guterson The Secrets of Winterhouse by Ben Guterson Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson The House with the Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro The Winterhouse Mysteries by Ben Guterson (no link yet! Coming in December!)

Meredith and Kaytee are so excited to finally bring you this very special episode, which we, and our kiddos, have been looking forward to for a long time! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of the hosts: preparing with our sons for the special deep dive in this week's episode (yep, that's one bookish moment for the two of us!). Next, we discuss our current reads. Since we wanted to leave time for the kids, we give you only two (and a half) titles each this week, and they are all over the map. Our deep dive this week is a super special interview with Jackson Schwartz, 7, and Micah Cobb, 8. These two boys have big opinions about the books they have read and loved. And the way they relate to each other is downright adorable. Anyone else think this needs to be a regular feature? We are totally smitten. As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we'd like to press into every reader's hands. There are four (or more) titles in this week's pressed books segment, so get those Amazon clickers ready! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 3:41 - The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson 3:52 - Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson 6:57 - Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Latidan 7:11 - The Honest Toddler 7:20 - Toddlers Are A**holes by Bunmi Latidan 10:36 - The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker 10:44 - The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker 11:49 - Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 13:03 - The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell 13:50 - The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray 14:10 - American Marriage by Tayari Jones 14:28 - A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park 17:52 - The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynn Reid Banks 19:46 - The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 21:02 - Inspector Flytrap: The Da Vinci Cold by Tom Angleberger 22:08 - The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey 22:34 - Dogman by Dav Pilkey 22:47 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl 24:23 - Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl 24:36 - Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot by Dav Pilkey 26:26 - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan 28:59 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 30:44 - Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott 31:50 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling 31:59 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling 33:28 - The Course of Love by Alain de Botton 36:10 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 37:48 - The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 38:17 - On The Come Up by Angie Thomas *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Kaytee and Meredith are so excited to get back into our discussion this week that we have a hard time keeping our bookish opinions to ourselves. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of the hosts: meeting a book resolution and a happy abundance of book mail. Next, we discuss our current reads. We have some very seriously large opinions about our books this week. If you've ever wondered what it's like for Meredith to get spicy, you're in luck! This episode was recorded on Valentine's Day, so… since we had love on the brain, we took a left turn and went with a deep dive on things we "hate" about books! As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) - but this week is a couple of great series - that we'd like to press into every reader's hands: these books have been mentioned over and over again on the podcast, but due to some heinous oversight, we haven't ever pressed them into your hands! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 2:33 - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel 3:24 - Sourdough by Robin Sloan 5:32 - The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny 5:33 - Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny 6:48 - Still Life by Louise Penny 10:05 - Currently Reading Challenge 10:18 - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 13:35 - I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella 14:05 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer 18:36 - Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah 21:59 - Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 22:02 - Circe by Madeline Miller 22:08 - He Read She Read episode 20 25:53 - Iliad by Homer 26:23 - Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson 26:29 - Episode 24 with Mary Heim 28:59 - The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson 43:28 - The Impossible Crime (Mac B., Kid Spy #2) by Mac Barnett 50:36 - Harry Potter series 50:56 - Louise Penny series 52:02 - The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

This is a departure from our regular day and format! We wanted to get this interview into your ears as soon as possible, so welcome to our first minisode! Today, I'm chatting with debut novelist, Anissa Gray, who just released The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls this week on February 19th. Anissa has been a news journalist for 20 years now, and this is her first foray into fiction. Our conversation centers on that transition, the pressures put onto authors of color, and the ways that reading makes you a better person. You won't want to miss it! At the end, Anissa presses a book into your hands, because… it's what we do. Hope you enjoy! . . . . . The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray Written on a Body by Jeannette Winterson Anissa's website Anissa on Instagram @anissagrayauthor Anissa on Facebook *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Kaytee and Meredith are so excited to get back into our discussion this week that we have a hard time keeping our bookish opinions to ourselves. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of the hosts: getting sucked in by a book to the detriment of…. the rest of your life, and fun book mail deliveries. Next, we discuss our current reads. We have some very seriously large opinions about our books this week. If you've ever wondered what it's like for Meredith to get spicy, you're in luck! Our deep dive this week centers on the Currently Reading Challenge! If you've been wondering about some of our favorite classics for that second category on your challenge sheet, you are in luck! We've got 20 titles for you for this category alone! As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we'd like to press into every reader's hands: two more classics are on our lists this week. They're both lovely and SO vital to the reading cannon. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 4:18 - Episode 7 with Jessica Turner 4:32 - When I Pray for You by Matthew Paul Turner (one day left for that awesome pre-order bonus!) Get that here: http://matthewpaulturner.com/books/when-i-pray-for-you/ 6:18 - The Au Pair by Emma Rous 6:30 - The Book Drop subscription 10:08 - Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris 10:10 - Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris 10:11 - The Breakdown by B.A. Paris 10:41 - The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton 10:47 - The Witch Elm by Tana French 11:25 - The Lost Man by Jane Harper 11:46 - The Dry by Jane Harper 11:47 - Force of Nature by Jane Harper 13:53 - The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough 16:05 - Mac Undercover (Mac B., Kid Spy #1) by Mac Barnett 16:17 - The Impossible Crime (Mac B., Kid Spy #2) by Mac Barnett 21:51 - Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin Manuel Miranda 21:58 - Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow 24:54 - PBS Hamilton Documentary 25:48 - Class Mom by Lori Gelman 26:04 - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 28:24 - Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple 29:42 - We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter 32:37 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live Podcast 33:48 - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 35:50 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 37:05 - East of Eden by John Steinbeck 38:53 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie 39:34 - Les Miserables by Victor Hugo 41:05 - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 42:43 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 42:45 - The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery 43:18 - The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame 43:46 - 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 44:21 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith 44:57 - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 45:46 - Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers 45:55 - Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie 46:04 - Charlotte's Web by E.B. White 46:15 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 46:16 - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 46:35 - 1984 by George Orwell 46:46 - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 46:56 - Lord of the Flies by William Golding 47:32 - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 47:57 - Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 50:31 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 51:16 - The Hating Game by Sally Thorne 51:46 - Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal 52:46 - Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld 52:48 - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Steve Hockensmith *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Meredith and Kaytee have to try to keep themselves under control this week as we have a bit of a longer deep dive segment. It's hard, listeners, to reign in the book talk, especially after a week away! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of the hosts: ditching a time-suck that was preventing reading, and a new bookish website. Next, we discuss our current reads. Since we had to limit ourselves, these four titles are all AMAZING. We dare you to not get excited about at least half of them, no matter what your wheelhouse is! Our deep dive this week includes and extra special interview with the ladies from Pantsuit Politics, Beth and Sarah. Whether you're already a fan, or these are new voices in your ears, you're guaranteed to learn something. I (Kaytee) did, and have been a raving fangirl for more than two years. It's unbelievable to me that I even got to talk to them! As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we'd like to press into every reader's hands: a non-fiction pick from Sarah if you want to broaden your political reading, a poetic choice from Beth for sanity in turbulent times, and one from each of your regular hosts (a sweet picture book and a creepy true crime novel). That's a lot of pressed books! As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 4:00 -myTBR.co - Tailored Book Recommendations from Book Riot 7:10 - Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier 10:24 - The Hunger by Alma Katsu 10:46 - The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown 13:54 - Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce 17:48 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 18:00 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 20:08 - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart 20:12 - A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket 22:40 - I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening) by Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland 45:59 - The Righteous Mind: Why People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt 47:05 - Hallelujah Anyway by Anne Lamott 48:30 - The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum 49:00 - Pantsuit Politics Podcast and Website Pantsuit Politics on Twitter Pantsuit Politics on Instagram 50:28 - Stellaluna by Jannell Cannon 52:31 - The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule (set in Washington state) 53:07 - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

While Kaytee vacations this week, Meredith holds down the podcast fort with a special guest co-host. Mary Heim is an online bookish friend of both of us (and I can freely admit that I am SO jealous she got to record with Mary and I didn't). You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of the hosts: a sweet pregnancy reading moment, and bonding over husbands who read. Next, the ladies discuss what they are currently reading, and this week includes a thousand books that you'll want to reach for ASAP. I had a hard time restraining myself. In Mary's deep dive, we get to learn about her reading life. Childhood reads to the way her adult reading life developed. It's a walk down memory lane for your childhood reading memories. I can almost guarantee you'll love it. As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we'd like to press into every reader's hands: As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 2:53 - Charlotte's Web by E.B. White 2:49 - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 5:01 - Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 6:55 - Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell 7:51 - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 10:08 - Side Hustle by Chris Gillebeau 10:20 - The $100 Start Up by Chris Gillebeau 12:26 - Side Hustle School podcast 12:54 - Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson 17:14 - The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin 17:16 - Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia 18:58 - The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson 19:45 - A Spanish Lover by Joanna Trollope 23:16 - A Village Affair by Joanne Trollope 23:33 - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 24:16 - One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid 24:21 - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 28:58 - The Family Gene by Joselin Linder 34:34 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 36:23 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery 36:26 - The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien 36:31 - The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Hayes 36:34 - American Girl Samantha Books by Maxine Rose Schur 36:38 - The Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne 37:11 - Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin 37:34 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 37:37 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 38:09 - Sweet Dreams Romance books by Jocelyn Saal 38:58 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer 45:03 - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff 48:49 - Boy's Life by Robert McKammon 50:51 - The Body by Stephen King 51:59 - It by Stephen King 52:01 - Needful Things by Stephen King 53:05 - Mary's Goodreads 53:10 - @maryreadsandsips on Instagram *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Meredith and Kaytee are back together this week and they are chatting books and Penelopes! You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a Harry Potter deep dive conversation and Little Free Library progress. Next, we discuss what we are currently reading, and this week includes quite a few thrillers, a book that makes Kaytee blush, and a new title from a favorite author. This week for our deep dive, we introduce a new section of the website for your first reading challenge category (A Book That Currently Reading Pressed Into Your Hands) and then have a conversation about a term we've mentioned in passing but never explained: Penelope. Who is this Penelope, and why do we care about her notebooks? As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we'd like to press into every reader's hands: a book that MUST be consumed on audio and a happiness-boosting favorite. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 3:24 - The Ultimate Harry Potter sorting test 5:59 - Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski 9:25 - A Curious Beginning by Deanna Reyborn 11:46 - Thomas and Charlotte Pitt novels by Anne Perry (First is The Cater Street Hangman) 12:35 - Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century by Peter Graham 13:09 - A Ladder To The Sky by John Boyne 13:12 - The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne 16:58 - The Child by Fiona Barton 19:25 - The Widow by Fiona Barton 19:50 - How to Be A Happier Parent by KJ Dell'antonia 20:10 - Sorta Awesome episode 163: Ten Mantras for Happier Parents with KJ Dell'antonia 21:35 - The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 23:49 - My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite 27:23 - New website of all the books we've pressed into your hands! 29:12 - Sorta Awesome episode 85: Awesomely and Unapologetically Organized with Meredith Schwartz of Penelope Loves Lists 38:50 - Episode 7 with Jessica Turner 41:10 - Penelope Blue: River Blue from Benjamin Moore 42:12 - Born A Crime by Trevor Noah 44:23 - The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 44:30 - Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Meredith is on a leadership retreat this week, so Kaytee is joined by her friend Morgan Tallman to chat books this week. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each host: busting out of a reading slump (and some tips), and a bookish resolution from a young family member. Next, we discuss what we are currently reading, and this week includes some fantasy, a funny thriller (is that a thing?), and a few non-fiction picks. This week's deep dive is a conversation with Morgan about re-reading. Since Meredith and Kaytee rarely re-read, we are chatting with someone who really loves to re-read books about what she gets from those re-reads. Morgan talks about the books she loves re-reading as well as the frequency of her re-reads. As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we'd like to press into every reader's hands: a book to add depth to your Harry Potter love, and a sweeping historical novel with trigger warnings. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 3:04 - Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate 3:09 - The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 3:49 - Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik 3:58 - Uprooted by Naomi Novik 6:48 - My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite 9:13 - Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman 10:12 - Stardust by Neil Gaiman 10:13 - The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 10:29 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman 10:31 - Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman 11:24 - The Eternal Current by Aaron Niequist 13:44 - Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes 15:02 - By the Book Podcast 16:32 - Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns 17:33 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 20:43 - Harry Potter Series 22:26 - Morgan counted up last year's re-reads for me and found that she had had 55 re-reads of the 232 books she read in 2018 (including 3 re-reads of the Harry Potter series). 23:38 - Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank 23:44 - Books by Brene Brown 23:51 - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 24:26 - This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel 24:32 - Louise Penny Inspector Gamache Series 28:43 - Snape: A Definitive Reading by Lorrie Kim 34:48 - The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah 34:59 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*

Meredith and Kaytee return to your feed this week to chat about what we've been reading and what we plan to read in the coming year. You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each host: a reading project for you, our listeners, and New Year's gift from the library. Next, we discuss what we are currently reading, and this week includes some new titles, some old ones, and one that (I'm sorry) will release at the end of the summer. Doesn't matter, you still want to hear about it. This week's deep dive is a survey of our reading goals for the year. Some are very specific, some are more general, but both of us are excited about the Currently Reading Challenge! As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we'd like to press into every reader's hands: a brand new illustrated volume, and a short story fairy tale collection. As always, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! . . . . . 3:00 - The Currently Reading 2019 Challenge! 6:28 - Book of the Month 6:32 - One Day in December by Josie Silver 9:44 - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 12:55 - Things You Save in A Fire by Katherine Center 13:05 - How to Walk Away by Katherine Center 15:40 - Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 19:15 - The Polygamist's Daughter by Anna LaBaron 19:23 - Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner 19:46 - The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls 19:47 - Educated by Tara Westover 22:12 - The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh 24:28 - The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock 24:30 - The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer 28:43 - Shogun by James Clavell 30:48 - Books by Isabel Allende 30:56 - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel 31:38 - The Great American Read 33:18 - The Currently Reading 2019 Challenge! (Again… we're very excited) 37:31 - Bibliophile by Jane Mount 41:00 - The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo 43:28 - Grimm's Fairy Tales by The Brother's Grimm (what a pretty collection!) *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*