What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

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Some books don’t just retell a classic — they hold your hand through a hard season. In this episode, I’m joined by Virginia Kantra to talk about Anne of a Different Island, a modern homage to Anne of Green Gables set in the shadow of COVID, nostalgia, and finding your way forward when life doesn’t follow the script.
We talk about why Anne Shirley still resonates more than a century later, how stories help us process collective trauma, and why comfort reads matter — especially for readers who came of age during the pandemic. This conversation is about resilience, imagination, chosen paths, and the quiet power of books to make us feel seen.
📚 Books Mentioned

Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra — Contemporary women’s fiction | Romance elements
How to Read a Book by Monica Wood — Literary fiction | Found family
Far and Away by Amy Poeppel — Contemporary women’s fiction
The Last Letter from Rachel Allworth by Barbara O’Neal — Emotional women’s fiction
How Simi Got Her Groove Back by Sonali Dev — Contemporary romance

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Welcome + Virginia Kantra’s writing journey
[04:00] Why Anne of Green Gables still matters
[08:30] Why Anne of a Different Island is set on Mackinac Island
[16:45] Writing COVID into fiction — without retraumatizing readers
[24:00] Healthy relationships vs. romanticized toxicity
[33:00] Comfort reads, nostalgia, and emotional safety in books
[41:00] Book recommendations for hard seasons
[49:00] Classroom libraries, book bans, and why representation matters

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Bridgerton Season 4 Is Going Full Cinderella — Here’s What to Read While You Wait
Bridgerton Season 4 is officially heading into Cinderella territory, and I’m breaking down what that means — from class divide drama to why Benedict might finally be the Bridgerton brother we root for. Joined by returning guest Julia Diaz-Young, we talk book canon vs. show changes, why Sophie Beckett is such a compelling heroine, and which historical romances perfectly capture that upstairs-downstairs energy.
If you love Bridgerton but don’t want to wait around for Netflix release schedules, we’ve got you covered with cozy, library-friendly historical romance recs you can borrow right now — no ballgown required.
📚 Books Mentioned
An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn — Historical Romance | Cinderella trope
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare — Historical Romance | Marriage of convenience
Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke — Historical Romance | Class divide
A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James — Historical Romance | Fairy tale retelling
Marry Me at Midnight by Felicia Grossman — Historical Romance | Gender-swap Cinderella

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Bridgerton as a romance gateway & genre hopping
[00:02] Cozy mysteries, historical mysteries & reading moods
[00:05] Why Season 4 feels like “classic” Bridgerton
[00:07] Cinderella, class divide & Sophie’s story
[00:09] Netflix binge fatigue vs weekly releases
[00:11] Bridgerton music, pop covers & iconic scenes
[00:13] Benedict as a hero & Sophie’s strength
[00:14] Cinderella-inspired historical romance recs
[00:17] Where to find Julia & what she’s working on

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Some historical figures feel larger than life — until you finally meet the woman behind the myth.
In this episode, I’m joined by Lynn Cullen, an acclaimed historical fiction author who has spent decades uncovering the real people behind cultural legends. We dive into her latest novel about Marilyn Monroe, focusing on Marilyn’s deeply personal relationship with photographer Eve Arnold — the only woman Marilyn ever trusted to photograph her.
We talk about trauma, fame, the female gaze, and what happens when a woman known entirely through images finally gets to be seen as herself. If you love feminist historical fiction, celebrity history, or stories that reclaim women’s narratives from the male gaze, this conversation is for you.

📚 Books Mentioned

When We Were Brilliant by Lynn Cullen — Historical Fiction | Women’s History
The Woman with the Cure by Lynn Cullen — Historical Fiction | Medical History
Writers & Lovers by Lily King — Literary Fiction | Writers & Relationships
Euphoria by Lily King — Literary Fiction | Anthropology & Love
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell — Historical Fiction | Women’s Lives
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson — Literary Fiction | Time & History

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Lynn Cullen’s journey from children’s books to historical fiction
[02:00] Why history is never boring (and always connected)
[05:00] Why Marilyn Monroe still fascinates us
[07:00] Eve Arnold and the female gaze
[10:00] Trauma, fame, and Norma Jeane vs. Marilyn
[14:00] Sleep, self-doubt, and the cost of celebrity
[18:00] Women artists, recognition, and late success
[22:00] Literary fiction recommendations & influences

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If you love romance but want to dip your toes into mystery without gore, trauma, or thriller chaos—this episode is for you.
In this conversation, I’m joined by Jenny Elder Moke, author of the millennial cozy mystery-romcom She Doesn’t Have a Clue and her upcoming release Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies. We talk about why mystery is not the same as thrillers, how “millennial cozies” are changing the genre, and why her books are the perfect gateway for romance readers who want puzzles, banter, and emotional payoff—without nightmare fuel.
We also dig into why Jenny chose to write standalone companion novels instead of a single sleuth series, the rise of cozy mysteries set in big cities, and the nonfiction rabbit holes (poison! art theft!) that inspire her storytelling.
📚 Books Mentioned

She Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke — Mystery-RomCom | Audio ✅
Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke — Mystery-RomCom | Audio ✅
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel — True Crime / Nonfiction | Audio ✅
The Change by Kirsten Miller — Feminine Rage Thriller | Audio ✅
Witch of These Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland — Witchy Contemporary Fantasy | Audio ✅
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz — Meta Mystery | Audio ✅
Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian — Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Why mystery-romcoms work for romance readers
[03:00] Cozy mysteries vs thrillers (and why it matters)
[06:00] The rise of “millennial cozy mysteries”
[09:00] Standalone companion novels vs series sleuths
[13:00] Romance-forward mysteries without trauma
[15:00] Jenny’s nonfiction obsession & research rabbit holes
[20:00] Book recommendations: fiction & nonfiction
[27:00] Where to find Jenny Elder Moke

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Before What to Read Next was a podcast… before author interviews, Kindle Unlimited lists, and mystery obsessions—there was one conversation that changed my reading life forever.
In this throwback episode, I’m sharing a 2016 interview that quietly reshaped how I read, why I read, and eventually, why this podcast exists at all. We talk about losing your reading life in grad school, rediscovering books as an adult, and the joy of falling headfirst into stories again—without pressure, productivity, or obligation.
This episode is for anyone who used to love reading, feels disconnected from it now, or wants permission to read purely for joy again.
Say Yes episode was originally recorded in 2016. This episode was originally aired on WTRN on March 2021.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The audio leveling is off. Unfortunately, I no longer have the raw audio from 2016 and 2021.