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What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Laura R Yamin
What to Read Next Podcast is a book recommendation podcast for mood readers who are always looking to add new books to their TBR. In each episode, Laura Yamin shares quick book recommendations so you can topple your TBR. This podcast is perfect for Romance and Mystery readers with the occasional romantasy episode.
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The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Yesterday22 min
10 National Book Award Nominees You Need to Know | Literary Fiction Longlist
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.This post was an original Subtack Live that aired on September 18, 2026.Awards season has landed — and the 2026 National Book Award (NBA) fiction longlist is stacked. Deedi Reads joins the pod to break it all down.Deedi from the Deedi Reads Substack joins What to Read Next for a special crossover covering all ten titles on the 2026 National Book Award fiction longlist — from Marlon James's queer epic The Disappearers to Valeria Luiselli's Beginning Middle End. We also dig into the Hugo Awards, the biggest NBA snub of the year, and how to build a budget-friendly award-season TBR using your library📚 Books MentionedDead Beat by Leigh Bardugo — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Fantasy, Dark Academia, Horror | Paradiso 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction | Red Ants by Kimberly Blaeser — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction, Short Stories, Horror Dèy by Edwidge Danticat — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction |Pretend You're Dead and I Carry You by Julián Delgado Lopera — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction, Magical Realism Python's Kiss by Louise Erdrich — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction, Short StoriesThe Disappearers by Marlon James — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction, Crime Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction Passengers by Alexander Maksik — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction |The Renovation by Kenan Orhan — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Literary Fiction Mad Eden by Morgan Thomas — Buy on Amazon | <a href="https://www.overdrive.com/media/12325926/mad-ed
- 1 weeks ago32 min
The Myth of the Debut Author, Explained by an Agent | Siren Says by Jennifer Herrera
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.What happens when a literary agent decides to become the author she's spent her career championing for other people? Jennifer Herrera joins us to talk genre-hopping, feminine rage, and why her new witchy fantasy almost didn't happen.Jennifer Herrera — literary agent at the David Black Agency and author of the thriller The Hunter — is back with something completely different: Siren Says, a Celtic-Welsh botanical fantasy about power, curses, and reclaiming your humanity. If you've ever wondered what agents actually do for writers (beyond "sell the book"), or you're hunting for your next romantasy pick with real teeth, this one's for you.📚 Books MentionedSiren Says by Jennifer Herrera — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy (Celtic-Welsh mythology, botanical magic) |The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera — Buy on Amazon | Thriller | If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie — Buy on Amazon | Nonfiction / Mythology & Feminism |Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy Romance (Letters of Enchantment prequel) | The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle — Buy on Amazon | Classic Fantasy |⏱️ Time Stamps [00:00] Welcome & intro[01:00] From philosophy grad school to literary agent[02:00] Moving to NYC to break into publishing[03:00]–[05:00] Why writing rarely pays the bills — and why that's okay[06:00]–[08:00] The myth of the "debut author"[09:00]–[10:00] Why thrillers feel easy and fantasy feels hard to write[10:00] Elevator pitch for Siren Says[11:00]–[13:00] The myth of Mis, power, and reclaiming humanity[13:00]–[16:00] Romance, healthy relationships, and feminist themes in fantasy[16:00]–[20:00] What writers should expect from a literary agent[20:00]–[23:00] Networking, community, and building your author platform[23:00]–[25:00] Marketing, selling vs. giving, and how author podcasts changed[26:00]–[29:00] Book recs: If Women Rose Rooted, Wild Reverence, The Last Unicorn[29:00]–[32:00] On aging, identity, and living an interesting life[32:00] Where to find Jennifer onlineJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!
- 2 weeks ago24 min
3 Monster Hunter Books for Horror Beginners | Book Goose Substack
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Ever wanted to try horror but didn't know where to start? This episode is your gentle on-ramp.Bri from the Book Goose Substack joins the show to talk about building a book community from scratch — and brings three monster hunter reads perfect for horror-curious readers. If you love found-family adventure stories, a dash of romance, or eerie underground worlds but want something that won't keep you up at night, this episode is for you.📚 Books MentionedA Fable for Hollow Creatures by R.R. Schaeffer — Buy on Amazon | Dark Fantasy/Horror | Releases Oct 27, 2026(Mostly) Human Resources by Grace Viall — Buy on Amazon | Borrow on Libby | Horror/Fantasy, light Romance | What Feeds Below by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne — Buy on Amazon | Horror/Fantasy | Releases Oct 6, 2026⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Welcome & intro[00:01] Bri's blogging journey: from Blogger to horror blog to Substack[00:07] Substack community & the ARC conversation[00:09] Book Goose publication & upcoming virtual book club[00:12] How Bri finds hidden-gem books to recommend[00:16] Bookseller mindset & intro to today's trope[00:17] Trope reveal: Monster Hunters[00:17] Book 1: A Fable for Hollow Creatures[00:19] Book 2: (Mostly) Human Resources[00:21] Book 3: What Feeds Below[00:24] Where to find Bri online & outroCONNECT WITH BRIhttps://bookgooseblog.substack.com/Join the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!
- 2 weeks ago12 min
5 Pirate Romantasy Reads You Need on Your TBR | The Siren's Kiss by Leslie Vedder
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Pirates, mermaids, sea witches, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance — this episode has everything.Leslie Vedder joins us to talk about The Siren's Kiss, a sapphic fantasy romance she describes as Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Little Mermaid, following a cursed pirate and a fierce mermaid who team up to take down ancient sea gods. We dig into her love of anime and manga, her upcoming graphic novel, and get five (okay, six) can't-miss pirate and fantasy-romance recommendations for your TBR.📚 Books MentionedThe Siren's Kiss by Leslie Vedder — Buy on Amazon | Search on Libby | YA Fantasy Romance / Sapphic / Pirates Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Search on Libby | YA Fantasy / Romantasy / Pirates The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Search on Libby | YA Fantasy / Sapphic / Pirates The Devourer by Alison Ames — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Search on Libby | YA Fantasy / Sapphic / Pirates In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Search on Libby | YA Fantasy Romance / Mermaids The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Search on Libby | YA Fantasy / Historical Piracy / Trans MC A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames (bonus) — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Search on Libby | Fantasy Romance ⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Welcome back Leslie Vedder[00:30] What she's been up to since her debut trilogy[01:00] Elevator pitch for The Siren's Kiss[01:30] Sapphic pirates and badass female pirate captains[02:00] Pirate history research and the reality behind the myth[03:30] Anime and manga influence on her writing[05:00] Upcoming sapphic Robin Hood graphic novel ⚠️ genre departure[07:00] Book recommendations: pirates and mermaids[10:30] Where to find Leslie onlineJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog" rel=
- 3 weeks ago36 min
2026 Hugo Awards: The Best Novel Nominees, Ranked | Fantasy & Sci-Fi
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Six books, one vote, and a whole community weighing in — Deedi's back to break down this year's Hugo Awards Best Novel nominees.Our resident awards correspondent Deedi (@DeediReads) returns to walk us through the 2026 Hugo Awards — sci-fi and fantasy's biggest fan-voted prize. We cover how Hugo voting actually works, break down all six Best Novel nominees, and Deedi tells us which one she's rooting for (and which one she thinks will actually win). Perfect for anyone who loves a good genre awards deep-dive or is just looking for their next fantasy or sci-fi read.📚 Books MentionedThe Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Fantasy The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Fantasy/Mystery A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Fantasy MysteryThe Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Fantasy Mystery | 2025 Hugo winner, prequelThe Incandescent by Emily Tesh — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Fantasy Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Science Fiction Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Science FictionCinderhouse by Freya Marske — Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Fantasy Novella The River Has Roots by Amar El-Mohtar— Buy on Amazon | Buy on Libro.fm | Fantasy Novella⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Welcome back, Deedi — our official awards correspondent[00:01] Why the Hugos are different from literary prizes[00:02] How Hugo voting actually works (Worldcon membership, nominating)[00:03] All the Hugo categories beyond Best Novel[00:05] Popular vote pros and cons — vs. the Goodreads Choice Awards[00:07] This year's six Best Novel nominees, announced[00:08] Novella category as an easier entry point (Cinderhouse, The River Has Roots)[00:09] How Deedi fits 6 award books into a realistic reading pace[00:13] Deedi's "three words" method for choosing what to read next[00:17] Letting go of reading identity and genre guilt[00:19] Revisiting YA dystopia — Hunger Games, Divergent, and a brewing essay[00:22] Breaking up with Amazon and the Kindle ecosystem[00:26] Why indie bookstores give you more than just books[00:27] Supporting indie authors outside Amazon[00:32] Deedi's personal favorite — and her prediction for the win[00:35] Where to find Deedi onlineJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)</p
- Aug 10, 20269 min
Silent Book Club for Two: My New Favorite Reading Ritual
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Laura's back with a solo update on slowing down, making reading friends in a new city, and two mysteries that actually caught her off guard.In this episode, Laura shares how she's navigating a season of burnout, the low-key monthly reading date she's started with a friend (dubbed "Silent Book Club for Two"), and gives full reviews of two standout reads — a cozy small-town mystery obsessed with designer dogs, and a millennial mystery starring a very unlucky crossing guard. If you're looking for your next cozy or millennial-mystery pick, or just want a simple way to build more reading time into your life, this one's for you.📚 Books MentionedMurder Bites by Mimi Montgomery | Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅Don't Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne | Mystery | Audio ✅⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Intro + August update[01:00] Birthday PTO and navigating a season of burnout[02:00] Making local reading friends through her yoga studio[03:00] How the "Silent Book Club for Two" reading date started[04:00] Why a one-on-one reading date beats a full book club[05:00] Murder Bites by Mimi Montgomery — setup and premise[06:00] Murder Bites — the reveal that actually surprised her[07:00] Don't Cross Mo Ellery — setup and premise[09:00] Currently reading Dungeon Crawl Carl + KU cancellation + sign-offJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!
- Aug 4, 202640 min
How to Love You When You're Gone with Gabriela Gonzales | YA Rom-Coms
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.What if the boy secretly writing your story isn't just trying to help you grieve — he's trying to get into college with it?Debut author Gabriela Gonzales joins the show to talk about her YA rom-com How to Love You When You're Gone, a fake-friends-to-lovers story about grief, first love, and the messy business of growing up. We dig into writing Latine representation in genre fiction beyond trauma narratives, why romance's happy ending is actually the hardest thing to earn, and Gabriela's favorite grief-and-joy reads.📚 Books MentionedHow to Love You When You're Gone by Gabriela Gonzales — Buy on Amazon | YA Romance/Rom-Com | Audio ✅ (narrated by Elena Rey & Jeff Ebner)Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno — Buy on Amazon | YA Rom-Com | Audio ✅Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce — Buy on Amazon | YA Rom-Com | Audio ✅Book Lovers by Emily Henry — Buy on Amazon | Adult Romance/Rom-Com | Audio ✅⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Welcome + Gabriela's arts school & circus class background[00:03] Deciding to become a writer at age five[00:05] Signing with her agent in 2020 on a dystopian circus novel[00:06] Her sister's passing and discovering rom-coms[00:09] Why a happy ending is the hardest thing to write[00:11] The many subgenres of romance — there's a book for everyone[00:12] Writing Latine characters beyond trauma narratives[00:14] Latina identity isn't monolithic[00:17] Elevator pitch: How to Love You When You're Gone[00:19] The "grief backpack" metaphor[00:21] DBT, glimmers of hope, and managing big emotions[00:25] Book recommendations begin[00:26] Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno[00:31] Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce[00:35] Book Lovers by Emily Henry[00:39] Where to find Gabriela onlineJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!
- Aug 1, 202621 min
A Golden Girls Heist Novel with Julia London
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Four best friends, one Vegas casino, and absolutely nothing left to lose — meet the septuagenarian heist crew you didn't know you needed.Bestselling author Julia London joins the show to talk about her genre-bending new release, Rules for Aging and Larceny, a commercial fiction romp about four 70-something women reuniting to pull off one last con — this time against a crypto scammer. Julia also shares four wide-ranging reading recommendations, from a quietly devastating Norwegian translation to the LitRPG series everyone's talking about.📚 Books MentionedRules for Aging and Larceny by Julia London — Buy on Amazon | Commercial Fiction, Heist | Audio ✅ (narrated by Christina Moore)Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction, Classic | Audio ✅The Ferryman and His Wife by Frode Grytten (trans. Alison McCullough) — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction, Translated | Audio ✅Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman — Buy on Amazon | LitRPG, Sci-Fi/Fantasy | KU ✅/ Audio ✅ (highly praised narration)Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley — Buy on Amazon | Commercial Fiction | Audio✅⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] Welcome & intro[01:00] 29 years in publishing, starting in historical romance[02:00] The shift away from historical romance/mass market[03:00] Backlist entry points: dog-centric rom-coms & women's fiction[04:00] Elevator pitch: Rules for Aging and Larceny[05:00] The friend group, the original heist, and the fallout[06:00] The health diagnosis that brings the gang back together[07:00] Planning the casino heist — and why being "invisible" helps[08:00] Being underestimated as an older woman in public spaces[09:00] Julia's real-life stint as a white-collar crime investigator[10:00] Would you still have it? The book's central question[11:00] Recommendation: Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell[12:00]–[13:00] Why Mrs. Bridge still feels relevant nearly 100 years later[14:00] Recommendation: The Ferryman and His Wife by Frode Grytten[15:00] Comparing Grytten to Fredrik Backman[16:00] Recommendation: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman[17:00]–[18:00] Why the audiobook and LitRPG genre have taken off[19:00] Recommendation: Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley[20:00] Where to find Julia online[21:00] Social media, content strategy, and closing thoughtsJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!
About What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show
What to Read Next Podcast is a book recommendation podcast for mood readers who are always looking to add new books to their TBR. In each episode, Laura Yamin shares quick book recommendations so you can topple your TBR. This podcast is perfect for Romance and Mystery readers with the occasional romantasy episode.
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