What Should I Read Next?

Ep 506: A new way to think about your reading in the coming year

December 9, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • 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. 
  • Callie Dean's reading preferences lean toward books with intersecting character narratives and structures, though she dislikes reading about characters making predictably bad decisions that lead to uncomfortable vicarious mortification. 
  • The difficulty of Callie's challenge lies in finding high-quality books that meet the strict alliterative title criteria, leading her to seek Anne's help in filling gaps for challenging letters like D, E, G, J, N, O, U, and V. 
  • The discussion moves into book suggestions starting with the letter 'P' for Callie Dean's 2026 reading challenge, including titles like *Pachinko*, *Persepolis*, and *Possession*. 
  • Callie Dean expressed excitement and slight overwhelm regarding the numerous book suggestions provided by Anne, noting that *Persepolis* stood out as a potential choice due to her increased appreciation for graphic novels. 
  • The episode concludes with Anne thanking Callie Dean for sharing her unique reading challenge, encouraging listeners to follow Callie's progress on Instagram, and providing resources for listeners to find the mentioned book lists and connect with the *What Should I Read Next?* podcast. 

Segments

Podcast Introduction and Host Greeting
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(00:00:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The podcast aims to help readers choose their next read without being prescriptive.
  • Summary: Host Anne Bogle introduces the podcast ‘What Should I Read Next?’ and welcomes listeners, stating the show’s purpose is literary matchmaking and discussing books.
Sponsor Segment: Modern Mrs. Darcy Shop
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(00:00:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The host promotes various reading-related gifts available in the Modern Mrs. Darcy shop for the upcoming year/holidays.
  • Summary: Promotion of gifts like tote bags, journals (including ‘My Reading Life’ and ‘My Reading Adventures’), book darts, and memberships to the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club.
Sponsor Segment: Aura Frames
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(00:01:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Aura Frames are presented as an easy, personal last-minute gift solution.
  • Summary: Advertisement for Aura Frames, highlighting their ease of use for sharing photos and videos, and offering a discount code READNEXT.
Sponsor Segment: Quince
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(00:02:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Quince offers high-quality, ethically made clothing items like cashmere and wool coats at affordable prices.
  • Summary: Promotion of Quince for finding timeless, giftable pieces, emphasizing quality materials and affordability, with a special URL for listeners.
Guest Introduction and Challenge Overview
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(00:03:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Guest Callie Dean is introduced, known for participating in reading challenges, and she plans a unique A-Z challenge for 2026.
  • Summary: Introduction of guest Callie Dean, who is planning a reading challenge for 2026 where she aims to read one book starting with every letter of the alphabet.
Clarifying the Alphabet Challenge Rules
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(00:10:07)
  • Key Takeaway: The challenge is highly specific: all words in the title must start with the target letter (e.g., no ‘A’ or ‘The’ unless it’s the target letter).
  • Summary: The host and guest clarify the strict rule for the challenge: titles must consist only of words beginning with the corresponding letter of the alphabet.
Guest’s Reading Life and Challenge Motivation
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(00:06:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Callie rediscovered reading through the host’s blog and values challenges for pushing her into new genres while maintaining quality control.
  • Summary: Callie discusses her reading history, finding the host’s blog in 2014, and her current book bingo challenge, leading to the idea for the 26-book A-Z challenge.
Guest’s Favorite Books Discussion
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(00:19:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Callie’s favorite books often feature complex structures, multiple intersecting character perspectives, and themes celebrating art or human connection.
  • Summary: Callie details her favorite book, Station 11, noting its structural complexity and celebration of the arts, followed by discussion of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping (comfort read) and The Small and the Mighty (inspirational non-fiction).
Sponsor Segment: Mint Mobile
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(00:16:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Mint Mobile is offering 50% off unlimited plans, making premium wireless service affordable at $15 a month.
  • Summary: Advertisement for Mint Mobile’s discounted unlimited plans, emphasizing savings and ease of switching without long-term contracts.
Sponsor Segment: Wayfair
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(00:17:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Wayfair is promoted as a convenient, one-stop shop for last-minute holiday needs, decor, and gifts with fast shipping.
  • Summary: Promotion for Wayfair covering seasonal decor, hosting essentials, and gifts, noting fast shipping is still available before the holidays.
Guest’s Current Reads and Challenge Strategy
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(00:31:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Callie is currently reading Frederick Bragman’s My Friends and Camille Dungy’s memoir Soil, and she plans to read the A-Z challenge books sequentially.
  • Summary: Callie shares what she is currently reading and discusses her intention to tackle the A-Z challenge in alphabetical order, despite being a mood reader.
Seeking Recommendations for Difficult Letters
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(00:34:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Callie needs help finding high-quality, exciting book options for specific letters, particularly D, E, G, J, N, O, P, U, and V.
  • Summary: Callie asks the host to use her expertise to recommend books that fit the strict criteria for the letters she is struggling to fill with exciting options on her spreadsheet.
Exploring Options for Letter D
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(00:42:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Several diverse options are suggested for ‘D’, including genre-bending fiction (Day’s Work) and historical fiction (Jubilee).
  • Summary: The host suggests Day’s Work (a meta book about creative partnerships) and Dancer (by Colin McCann), while Callie is intrigued by the mystery Dissent.
Exploring Options for Letter E
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(00:46:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Suggestions for ‘E’ range from literary fiction (Eventide) to international literature (Eastbound) and YA fiction (Elsewhere).
  • Summary: Recommendations for ‘E’ include Eventide (literary fiction), Eastbound by Mylisa Caringall (a novella about fugitives on a train), and Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin.
Exploring Options for Letter G
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(00:49:20)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘G’ suggestions include middle-grade fiction (Ghost), a romantic comedy (Ghosts), and a thriller (Ghosted), offering variety.
  • Summary: Suggestions for ‘G’ include Jason Reynolds’ Ghost, Dolly Alderton’s Ghosts (a romantic comedy), and Rosie Walsh’s thriller Ghosted.
Exploring Options for Letter J
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(00:52:55)
  • Key Takeaway: The primary suggestion for the difficult letter ‘J’ is a sweeping historical novel about slavery and Reconstruction.
  • Summary: The host suggests Jubilee by Margaret Walker, a novel following a slave named Viary through the antebellum era, Civil War, and Reconstruction.
Exploring Options for Letter N
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(00:53:55)
  • Key Takeaway: A highly imaginative, genre-bending novel about a woman turning into a dog was recommended for ‘N’.
  • Summary: For ‘N’, Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder is suggested, which features magical realism about a mother struggling with transformation, fitting Callie’s interest in creativity stories.
Exploring Options for Letter O
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(00:55:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Strong options for ‘O’ include a college basketball romance and a novel about a life lived out of chronological order.
  • Summary: Options for ‘O’ include One on One (basketball romance) and Una (about a woman living her life out of order), alongside dystopian fiction Orleans.
Exploring Options for Letter P
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(00:57:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The letter ‘P’ has many strong, well-regarded options across fiction and non-fiction, including classics and graphic memoirs.
  • Summary: A rapid-fire list of ‘P’ books is provided, including Pachinko, Passing, Persepolis, Possession, and the non-fiction art crime book Priceless.
Nonfiction Recommendations
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(00:57:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Specific nonfiction titles like ‘Open’ and ‘Oranges’ are suggested.
  • Summary: The discussion moves to nonfiction, mentioning ‘Open’ by Andre Agassi and ‘Oranges’ by John McPhee, noting the latter is a short book.
Reading Suggestions Starting with ‘P’
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(00:57:32)
  • Key Takeaway: A rapid-fire list of book recommendations starting with the letter ‘P’ is presented.
  • Summary: The host rattles off several book suggestions beginning with ‘P’, including ‘Pachinko’, ‘Passing’, ‘Persepolis’, ‘Piglet’, ‘Plainsong’, ‘Possession’, ‘Prep’, and ‘Pride’.
Focus on Persepolis
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(00:58:50)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘Persepolis’ is identified as an intriguing choice due to the guest’s evolving appreciation for graphic novels.
  • Summary: The guest expresses specific interest in ‘Persepolis’, noting they previously passed on it but now appreciate graphic novels, making it a good addition for reading diversity.
Guest’s Excitement and Overwhelm
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(00:59:28)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest is excited but slightly overwhelmed by the large number of excellent book suggestions provided.
  • Summary: The guest admits to feeling excited but overwhelmed by the volume of great ideas generated for their reading challenge.
Confirmed Exciting Reads
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(01:00:01)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘Eastbound’ and ‘Night Pitch’ are confirmed as highly intriguing titles for the guest.
  • Summary: The guest confirms that ‘Eastbound’ and ‘Night Pitch’ stood out, and they are now excited about the options for the letter ‘O’.
Appreciation for Challenge Execution
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(01:00:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The host praises the guest for deeply understanding the challenge intent and making excellent, narrow-criteria connections.
  • Summary: The host expresses deep appreciation for how well the guest understood the challenge and connected books to the narrow criteria.
Follow-up Plans and Social Media
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(01:00:57)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest plans to share their reading progress on Instagram, and listeners are encouraged to follow along.
  • Summary: The host asks the guest to report back on what they read. The guest agrees to post their reading list on Instagram.
Podcast Wrap-up and Links
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(01:01:25)
  • Key Takeaway: The host provides resources for listeners, including links to guest information and the full book list.
  • Summary: The host wraps up the conversation, directs listeners to Callie’s website and the podcast website for links and the full title list, and encourages subscribing to the show.
Credits and Closing Quote
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(01:02:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The production team is thanked, and the episode concludes with a quote about the joy of reading.
  • Summary: The segment lists the people who create the ‘What Should I Read Next?’ podcast and ends with a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke wishing listeners happy reading.