Ep 518: Striking a feel-good balance in your reading life
March 17, 2026
Indie bookstore owner Nikkya is struggling to balance required professional reading with reading for pleasure, leading to friction when trying to explore unfamiliar genres like historical fiction, romance, and thrillers.
Ep 517: Seeking contemporary novels to complement Jane Austen classics
March 10, 2026
Guest Tzipi Turner is seeking a 'book-flight' approach to complete her Jane Austen collection by pairing each classic novel with a contemporary read to maintain motivation against the distraction of new releases.
Ep 516: Don't overthink your buddy reads
March 3, 2026
The central challenge for guest Ruth in the episode "Ep 516: Don't overthink your buddy reads" of the podcast "What Should I Read Next?" is feeling stymied and overthinking book selections for her low-stakes sister book club.
Ep 515: I can't read all the books, and that's okay
February 24, 2026
The central theme of the episode, driven by guest Holly Dyer's mantra, is accepting the reality that one cannot read every book, which necessitates making intentional choices about how to spend finite reading time.
Ep 514: Seeking heartwarming, oh-so-discussable reads
February 17, 2026
Madeline Janney is forming a mother-daughter book club in New Orleans, seeking books that bridge her contemporary romance preference with her mother's taste for true crime and nonfiction, while also favoring titles set in or connected to New Orleans.
Ep 513: Maggie O’Farrell
February 10, 2026
The conversation between host Ann Bogle and author Maggie O'Farrell focuses on the creative process, emotional resonance in storytelling, and the transition from novel writing to screenwriting for the film adaptation of *
Ep 512: I'm looking for 5-star stunners
February 3, 2026
Guest Meredith Wiggins is experiencing a reading slump characterized by an 18-month run of consistently average (three to three-and-a-half-star) reads, preventing her from finding the emotionally resonant, five-star "stunners" she seeks.
Ep 511: Ask Anne Anything: 10 Year Anniversary Edition
January 27, 2026
The podcast "What Should I Read Next?" originated from Anne's blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, after readers frequently requested personalized book recommendations, leading to the launch of the podcast in 2016.
Ep 510: Finding classics that shine on audio
January 20, 2026
The guest, Janae Mast, is specifically seeking classics that offer immersive experiences when consumed in audiobook format, valuing narration and accents for bringing the text alive.
Ep 509: Your favorite book discoveries from 10 years of WSIRN
January 13, 2026
Episode Ep 509: Your favorite book discoveries from 10 years of WSIRN celebrates the podcast's 10th anniversary by featuring listener voicemails detailing books they discovered or finally read because of What Should I Read Next?
Ep 508: Anne's Best Books of 2025
January 6, 2026
The episode marks the beginning of 2026, a year celebrating the 10th anniversary of the *
Ep 507: Our team recaps our 2025 reading year
December 16, 2025
The team members in this episode of "What Should I Read Next?" are reflecting on their 2025 reading lives, sharing unexpected wins and what didn't work, continuing a tradition from the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog.
Ep 506: A new way to think about your reading in the coming year
December 9, 2025
The central focus of this episode of "What Should I Read Next?" is guest Callie Dean's highly structured 2026 reading challenge: reading 26 books where every word in the title must start with the corresponding letter of the alphabet.
Ep 505 Recs For A Reader In Search Of Best In Class Books
December 2, 2025
Guest Kate Mosesso maintains a unique, community-inspired reading project where she reads a book recommended by a loved one each month, a practice she started in 2021 to foster connection.
Ep 504: Niche and nerdy narrative nonfiction
November 25, 2025
Guest Laura Howard realized she prefers learning history through engrossing, shorter nonfiction rather than historical fiction, which she finds can romanticize events.
Ep 503: Which cozy mysteries are right for me?
November 18, 2025
Cozy mysteries are characterized by minimal gore and profanity, typically featuring amateur sleuths in small-town settings, often incorporating themes like food, animals, and puns.
Ep 502: Choosing book gifts your friends will love
November 11, 2025
The guest, Meredith Amadee, started her intentional book club in February 2022 as a birthday gift to a friend, fostering deep community through a commitment to monthly reading and discussion.
Ep 501: Crafting a personal curriculum for a lifelong learner
November 4, 2025
Intellectual curiosity, while delightful, often leads to overwhelm due to the abundance of interesting options, which the concept of a personal curriculum aims to structure.
Ep 500: The little things that add up to a rich reading life
October 28, 2025
The 500th episode of What Should I Read Next? celebrates a milestone by revisiting past guest Michelle Acierno Loftus to explore the evolution of her reading life, which has shifted toward nonfiction and character-driven, introspective stories.
Ep 499: Weird, nerdy, and totally delightful: our conversation with Kevin Wilson
October 21, 2025
Author Kevin Wilson's fictional town, Caulfield, Tennessee, is a constantly shifting, magical place that exists independently of its real-world counterpart, a fact that amuses his publisher.
Ep 498: Books that feel like your favorite comfort TV shows
October 14, 2025
The central goal of the episode, as established by guest Kayla King, is to find books that replicate the soothing, comforting feeling derived from re-watching favorite television shows like *
Ep 497: The magic of bringing book lovers together
October 7, 2025
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Ep 496: Warm and inviting stories of hearth and home
September 30, 2025
Guest Jemima Welsh is seeking immersive comfort reads centered on warm, rambling houses, lovable families (or found families), and the rich details of cheerful domesticity, often referred to as the "parochial life."
Ep 495: Fall Book Preview sneak peek
September 23, 2025
The Fall Book Preview, now in its seventh year, offers curated book recommendations from Anne Bogel, hand-selected from hundreds of titles to provide gentle guidance for readers' fall selections.
Ep 494: Books brimming with creativity, philosophy, and grace
September 16, 2025
Book cover design is a deeply empathetic and collaborative process that requires balancing the author's vision, publisher's needs, and audience appeal, often involving extensive research and iterative feedback.