What Should I Read Next?

Nonfiction books often change the way that readers see the world, and today's guest Evan Carlson is on the hunt for fiction that packs the same punch as the nonfiction works he loves. Evan's joining Anne from Chicago, where he lives and works as an actor and poet. He's found that reading poetry and nonfiction helps him challenge his ways of thinking, and he really enjoys this experience. While Evan has read fiction that's worked for him before, too often it leaves him feeling bored. Evan's confident he's just not finding the right fiction picks, and today he and Anne talk about what he's really looking for and how he might find the titles that will excite and engage him. Find the list of titles mentioned today and share your recommendations for Evan on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/481. Stock up on our new summer merch, including new stickers, tees, hats, and more in our online shop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feeling more confident about finding the right reads is a common bookish goal. In today's conversation, Anne welcomes Tynisha Coleman to the show to talk about her current reading goals. Tynisha is a leadership development coach, university lecturer, and sci-fi and fantasy lover from New Jersey. She doesn't shy away from books that tackle tough plot points, which often feature in the emotionally resonant books she loves. But she does expect these trickier developments to serve a sense of purpose to the plot, and she'd like to avoid reading experiences that send her into the depths of despair. Right now, Tynisha is looking for titles that offer a sense of escapism, both in her current preferred genres, and while also keeping open to other works she'll enjoy. Anne has a bunch of ideas to share. Find the list of titles mentioned in today's episode at our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/480. We kicked off summer reading season with our 14th annual Summer Reading Guide and Live Unboxing just a few weeks ago. If you missed the launch, you can still get your copy of the digital Guide and the video replay from our Unboxing party by visiting modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year we get some variation of this question: how can a reader like today’s guest, Elise Brancheau, balance all the shiny new books of summer with the backlist titles that are already patiently waiting on her to-be-read list? Elise is a New Jersey-based professional classical singer who describes herself as a huge reading-planning nerd. We know Elise is in good company here! But with all of the summer reading titles coming her way, Elise is wondering how she can unapologetically embrace old and new possibilities to read right now. Anne always loves to talk about this particular reading dilemma, so today she and Elise explore how a reader who loves to plan can also incorporate shiny new summer releases into her reading rhythms without throwing those carefully laid plans way off course.  Find the titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/479. If you haven't ordered your Summer Reading Guide yet, there's still plenty of time. It's a great way to add to your summer reading list while tangibly supporting our show. Snag your copy at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking you behind the scenes of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide and sharing an excerpt from our live Unboxing party. Our 2025 Guide includes 35 books across a range of genres which we've grouped into six categories. Today you'll hear Anne's commentary of three books from the first category, Family Sagas.  Our Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing are designed to give you an idea of what your own reading experience might be like with each book so you can then decide if that's a reading experience that you want to have.  This year's Guide is 40 packed pages, and we've built in fun features like more of summer's most anticipated new releases, tons of backlist titles that play into our road trip theme, our ever-loved Awesome On Audio selections for both new releases and backlist books, and more. We hosted our Live Unboxing party last week, which has been a tradition around here since 2019. When you opt in for the Summer Reading Guide experience by joining one of our membership communities or purchasing a la carte, our Unboxing replay is available for you to access anytime on your schedule. We hope this little preview gives you a taste of what our Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing is like. Find the links and titles mentioned in today's episode on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/478 And if you missed our 2025 Summer Reading Guide when it released last week, it's not too late to get your copy of the digital guide and access the recording of our live Unboxing party. Get all of the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're kicking off Summer Reading Season with our fourteenth annual Summer Reading Guide, coming this Thursday! Today on the podcast Anne is joined by a special guest who is particularly well qualified to go behind the scenes of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide with her: Will Bogel! Many of you consider Anne's husband Will to be your book twin, and today they're diving into the project and pleasure that is creating the Summer Reading Guide each year. We hope you'll enjoy this peek behind the scenes and that it whets your appetite for this year's Unboxing parties, too. Find the links and titles mentioned today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/477 . There's still time to join one of our membership communities or purchase your a la carte ticket for Thursday's Unboxing party, which includes a digital copy of the 2025 Summer Reading Guide. Get all of the details at modernmrsdarcy.com/srg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices