Ontario reader Emma Sweeney wants to explore books that incorporate elements from the horror genre. She's not interested in books that give her nightmares, but she's found that these stories often prompt reflective and meaningful reading experiences.

Today, she and Anne talk about finding titles that include horror elements without being truly horrifying. They also tackle Emma's other reading conundrum: she'd like to get better at discerning whether a book is a good fit for her or not before she spends 100 pages of precious reading time on stories that turn out to be not what she's looking for.

We expect this conversation will resonate with so many readers this season, no matter where you fall on the spooky reading spectrum. Let us know if you have recommendations for Emma by leaving a comment on our show notes, where you'll also find the full list of titles mentioned today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/449.

A quick note: in today's conversation Emma and Anne talk about a story featuring a hurricane in North Carolina. Because this conversation was recorded before Hurricane Helene caused so much destruction, there's no mention of the recent storm. Our thoughts are with all those affected.

It's time to submit your request for our upcoming gift recommendation episode, where we will help you find the books and bookish goodies for everyone on your holiday list. Tell us about your gift-giving situation and get answers from our team by emailing [email protected] with the subject line "Gift Help". Let us know who you are shopping for, a little about their reading life, any ideas you have, or the direction you prefer to go. We will read some of your requests on our episode and answer lots of reader inquiries.

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This fall, we were excited to hear from you about the books that haunt you. and today's guest sent in a submission that caught everyone on our team's eye. We loved her interpretation of this theme.

Today, Megan Reilly is joining Anne to talk about the books that linger in your brain for years. Megan is a professional theater designer and a college professor who lives in Madison, Wisconsin. She loves to travel and spend time outdoors, and reading is both a beloved hobby and a stress management technique.

Megan and Anne talk about a range of topics today, from reading challenge addiction to intelligent thrillers that aren't afraid to go dark. They also dive into that topic of haunting books, exploring what that means to Megan and which titles she may find captivating for her upcoming season of reading.

Find the full list of titles mentioned today at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/448.

Fall is a season full of new beginning energy, and it's a great time to remember that you can start a new habit or set a new goal any time you want. If you're looking for a fresh start, check out Anne's book Don’t Overthink It. It's full of ideas to help you make easier decisions, stop second-guessing, and bring more joy to your life. Check your library or pick up your own copy at your local independent bookstore or wherever you buy books online, including our Modern Mrs Darcy shop.

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Last week we hosted our sixth annual Fall Book Preview, and today we're sharing a taste of that event with you. In today's mini-episode, you'll hear Anne talk about three book of the 35 books in this year's preview.

Fall Book Preview is one of our marquee annual events that we host for our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and Patreon Community members. Our community members provide tangible, financial support for our show and our team of readers, and we love to say thank you by sharing special events just like the Fall Book Preview. For the last two years, we've also made the Fall Book Preview available to anyone who wants to join us through our a la carte ticket option. 

The Fall Book Preview experience includes our 12-page digital booklet and our live event video: now it’s all ready and waiting for you to enjoy immediately: go to modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp to become a Patreon member or get your a la carte access.

We hope you enjoy this sample (and the full Fall Book Preview event). We'll be back next week with a brand new episode.

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Our reading community truly spans the globe: today Anne is in conversation with Evie, who is joining us from northern Greece.

Evie grew up in Boston and after visiting family in Greece over the years, she moved back herself last year. These days she enjoys the slow pace of life and social culture in her Greek community.

Today, Evie would love help reframing her approach to reading and reviewing books, because it's causing her a lot of angst. Lately, she's described herself as a frequent three and one-star giver, and this situation isn't working for her: it makes her feel like she's hard to please.

But Evie's not sure what's going on here: are her standards too high? Is she being pretentious? Does she just not know what she likes? Those are some of the options Evie tossed out as she's trying to figure out what is happening here with her star rating situation. She and Anne explore what's causing this dissatisfaction, and look at solutions. They'll also get into the specifics of Evie's reading taste, which often includes books that invite the reader into others' lived experience, and Anne wraps up with reading suggestions for Evie.

Share your own recommendations for Evie and find the list of titles mentioned in today's episode at our show notes at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/447.

Join us on Wednesday, September 18th for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview! During this 90-minute live unboxing party, Anne walks you through 35 selections, step by step and book by book. If you're a member of our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club or What Should I Read Next? Patreon communities, our Fall Book Preview is an included benefit and you'll find access information within those communities. You can also join us by purchasing our popular a la carte ticket. Find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp.

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If you love a good campus novel for fall, you'll love today's conversation between Anne and academic dean Karen Gold.

Karen works at the oldest independent boarding school in the country, where she teaches a course on campus novels. That's not all Karen reads, though: she's especially fond of novels that span generations and highlight both the mundanity and the messiness of the human experience.

But Karen's real dilemma today isn't finding the titles she'll want to read next. What she's really grappling with is a format struggle. She's always been committed to print books, but then she got an iPad, and then a Kindle, and she started to enjoy reading on a screen. These days Karen defaults to the ease of e-reading, despite having shelves full of physical books that she really does want to read. She's not sure what to do about this readerly conundrum, and she and Anne talk strategies and possible solutions today.

Listen in and find the list of titles discussed on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/446.

Save the date and join us on Wednesday, September 18th for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview. During this live, 90-minute unboxing event, Anne shares 35 hand-picked titles to get excited about this season. You'll also get our 12-page digital PDF Fall Book Preview booklet. Our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and Patreon members enjoy automatic access to this live event: you can join us by becoming a part of either community or purchasing your a la carte ticket at ModernMrsDarcy.com/fbp.

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Get your to-be-read lists ready because today's episode is packed full of recommended titles. In today's show, Anne is hosting Hunter, a fan of literary fiction who lives in Philadelphia with his husband and their dog.

Anne and Hunter talk about his years-long project to read National Book Award longlisted titles, which also leads into conversation about both that award and some of other big book awards. Plus, Hunter shares his frequent habit of rereading books, especially books he doesn't like on the first pass. 

Hunter loves books that are messy and murky and don't necessarily offer clear answers. At this moment in his reading life, he's looking for writing that is striking on a sentence level, perhaps a little bit weird, and unlike the majority of what's coming out right now. Anne has ideas for Hunter and together they talk about a whole bunch of books that may be just right for you right now, too.

Find that long list of titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/445. 

Fall means new merch, and we have a special collection including, for the first time ever, the option to buy a printed Fall Book Preview booklet. Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club members and members of our What Should I Read Next Patreon community, we've shared a link to buy just the printed booklet since your Fall Book Preview is included in your membership. If you're joining us for Fall Book Preview on September 18th with an a la carte ticket, you'll see an option to add on a printed booklet in our shop. You'll also find our exciting and seasonal collection of stickers, pin-back buttons, sweatshirts, and more. Find all of the fall goods at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop.

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Today we're back with the 2024 installment of our popular summer reading roundup, where members of our team pair up to talk about their favorite summer reads.

You'll hear our team in conversation today, exploring our summer reading experiences and the titles we can't stop talking about. Around here we talk books all year round, but episodes like these are especially fun, and always mean we're adding a bunch of new titles to our own to-be-read lists.

We read widely around here, so no matter what you love to read, we think you'll hear a title that catches your attention today. Find the full list of titles mentioned and leave a comment to share your summer reading superlatives at our show notes page: whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/444.

Just in time for fall, we've released a fresh and fun collection of merch! From fun new buttons and sticker designs to favorites like our To Be Read tote and our Book Camp sweatshirts, you're sure to find something delightful. See all our merch and shop at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. 

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A limited reading selection often leads to delightful serendipity, and today Anne's chatting with a guest who has had just that experience.

Rachel Elaine Martens and her family recently lived in Budapest for a year. During this time, Rachel Elaine had access to her U.S. library's virtual collection, but she also made use of a small shelf of left-behind books in the house she was staying in. Now that she's back home in Missouri with a broader selection of choices, she'd like to keep that serendipitous flair while also inviting more of an intentional flow into her book selections.

Rachel Elaine enjoys picking up her latest library discovery, but she'd love to discern a clearer arc to her reading selections and feel less whiplash from constantly jumping between genres that feel like they have nothing in common other than coming up on her library holds list. Rachel Elaine has a definite preference for backlist books, too, and today Anne suggests titles to create the intentional reading experience Rachel Elaine's seeking.

Find the full list of titles mentioned in today's episode at our show notes page, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/443.

Ready for even more great reading? Join us on Wednesday, September 18th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview. During this live event, we will walk through some of the most anticipated titles of the fall season, including the books Anne has read and loved, and the titles she can't wait to read. Members of our Patreon community and our Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club are invited to join us: this event is a perk of membership in those communities. Our Fall Book Preview is also available a la carte for those that just want to join us for this one event. Find out more and sign up at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp.

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Readers, we have celebrated birthday milestones here on the podcast before, and today Anne is talking with a guest who designed the ultimate book party for her recent 50th birthday.

Kelly Davis lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where she works for her alma mater and enjoys caring for her garden and listening to audiobooks.

For Kelly's recent 50th birthday, she planned a big celebration at her local beignet company, and in lieu of other presents, she asked guests to bring a book that they loved. Kelly's goal was collecting 50 books for 50 years, and her party was a great success. But the fun didn't stop there. In a project that would speak to many nerdy reader hearts, Kelly created a master document to analyze the books she received, including lots of charts and graphs.

Today, Kelly is here to get Anne's help in creating a plan and choosing which of these titles to reach for next.

Find the list of titles mentioned today and let us know which titles you'd recommend for Kelly at our show notes page, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/442.

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Today we're excited to share Anne's recent conversation with author Lucy Foley, from a live event hosted by Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky.

In today's show, Anne and Lucy kick things off by discussing Lucy's new revenge thriller The Midnight Feast and the real-life places and trips that inspired its atmospheric setting. Lucy also shares about her evolving career as an author, her love of writing unlikable characters, and what she delightfully calls the unholy trinity of women authors she can't get enough of.

Thanks to Lucy Foley and to Carmichael's Bookstore for hosting this event and inviting us to share this lively book talk with all of you today. Find the list of titles mentioned and let us know which Lucy Foley book is your favorite in the comments section on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/441.

If you'd love to talk books with Anne, we've just re-opened our guest submission form and we're excited to see your submissions! While we're always open to unique readerly conundrums and would love to read about yours, right now we're also especially looking for your stories or reading experiences that feature cozying up for a cooler season, reflecting on thankfulness, or books that haunt you. Learn more and share your submission at modernmrsdarcy.com/guest.

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With the year just over half way through, Anne is stepping back to see how her reading year is going. Today, she and Shannan Malone are doing a little midyear check-in to see how this year has been going so far reading-wise, and what they are most excited about in the coming months.

They consider whether they're actually reading what they want to be reading this year, whether they have any intentions to pivot for fall and winter months, and if or how they reading tastes and desires have evolved since they last checked in on this.

Anne and Shannan share reflective practices or questions to help you conduct your own midyear check in, if you are so inclined. But regardless of how you approach your reading life, this is, above all, a call to ask yourself, what do you want from your books right now? Because reading time is precious, and we want to help you feel good about how you are using yours.

Learn more about conducting your own midyear check-in and get a full list of all of the books discussed in this episode at https://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/440

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