What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

• Rewriting Jane Austen for the 2020s with Nikki Payne

  Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.Ever wondered what Jane Austen would write if she lived online? Nikki Payne reimagines romance for our era—where identity, love, and culture collide.In this episode, Laura chats with romance author Nikki Payne, a cultural anthropologist and writer of Pride and Protest, Sex, Lies and Sensibility, and The Princess and the PI. They dive into why Nikki reimagines Austen’s classics through a modern, intersectional lens, how online personas shape our identities, and what makes “weird fic” and “out-of-pocket women” so irresistible. Plus, Nikki shares her must-read recommendations across romance, mystery, and literary fiction.📚 Books MentionedPride and Protest by Nikki Payne — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅The Princess and the PI by Nikki Payne — Buy on Amazon | Mystery Romance | KU ✅ / Audio ✅August Lane by Regina Black — Buy on Amazon | Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby — Buy on Amazon | Crime Thriller | Audio ✅The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy | Audio ✅Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston — Buy on Amazon | Classic Fiction💌Where to Find Nikki:Instagram: @nikkipaynebooksTikTok: @nikkipayneromanceSubstack: The Painful Truth🕒 Time Stamps[00:00] Meet Nikki Payne: Cultural Anthropologist & Romance Author[00:03] Reimagining Jane Austen with Black & Asian Leads[00:06] The Princess and the PI: Reddit Sleuths & Modern Mysteries[00:10] Online Personas vs Real Life Identity[00:11] Exploring Body, Control, and Patriarchy in Fiction[00:13] Neuroplasticity, Healing, and Finding Love[00:14] What Nikki’s Reading: Weird Fic & Out-of-Pocket Women[00:15] Book Recommendations for After The Princess and the PI[00:16] Where to Find Nikki OnlineMentioned in this episode:🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. AudibleAdvertise with UsDo you have a book or service that you want to share with our engaged audience? Check out our opportunities to sponsor with us.Advertise With Us

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• Hidden Gem Thrillers Perfect for Spooky Season

  Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.Originally Published October 30, 2023Looking for fast-paced thrillers to binge this fall? In this replay episode from 2023, Amy from Novel Gossip joins me to share six twisty, addictive reads that are perfect for cozy nights in.If you love popcorn thrillers, domestic drama, or a touch of supernatural suspense, these backlist titles are easy to find at your local library or on audio.📚 Books MentionedThe September House by Carissa Orlando — Haunted Victorian home, dark humor, supernatural twist. | Audio ✅The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James — True crime blogger interviews a murder suspect from the 1970s. | Audio ✅Where the Blame Lies by Mia Sheridan — Romantic suspense duology with dark psychological tension. | KU ✅ / Audio ✅We’re All Lying by Marie Still — Popcorn domestic thriller full of secrets, lies, and messy marriages. | Audio ✅The Wife Before by Shanora Williams — Fast, juicy thriller with soap-opera energy and short, bingeable chapters. | KU ✅ / Audio ✅Bonus mentions: Freida McFadden, Kiersten Modglin, A.R. Torre — for fans of quick, twisty thrillers available to borrow on Kindle Unlimited.🎧 Want to explore even more thrillers you can borrow without breaking your budget?Check out the post: Libraries that still offer non-resident cards in 2025⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] – Welcome and fall reading chat[02:00] – Why thrillers are hard to write[04:00] – The September House by Carissa Orlando[06:00] – The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James[08:00] – Where the Blame Lies by Mia Sheridan[11:00] – We’re All Lying by Marie Still[14:00] – The Wife Before by Shanora Williams[17:00] – Final thoughts & where to find AmyJoin 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! Mentioned in this episode:Advertise With UsWant to promote your book or service to our engaged audience? Check out our opportunities to sponsor. Advertise With

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• Primal Play & Safe Hearts with Allie Oleander l Midlife Kink Awakening Romance

  Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.A high-heat, spooky-season romance with a heartbeat. Author Allie Oleander joins us to talk about Willing Prey—a primal-play, midlife-awakening romance where a 40-year-old lawyer proposes a “hunt” for 30 days… and catches real feelings.This episode is for readers who love darker vibes without trauma plots: think obsession, contracts, chase-in-the-woods tension, and the guaranteed safety of a romance HEA. We dig into Allie’s indie-to-trad journey, writing an “obsessed but tender” hero, and why horror and romance are emotional cousins.Books MentionedWilling Prey by Allie Oleander — Buy on Amazon | Dark Contemporary Romance, Primal Play, Age 35+ LeadsLittle Deaths by Nenia Campbell — Buy on Amazon | Erotic Romance/Horror-adjacent, Dub-Con/Non-Con Content, Ex-Horror Actress FMCWhere to find AllieWebsite: allieoleander.meInstagram/Threads: @allie.oleanderJoin 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! Mentioned in this episode:🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. AudibleAdvertise with UsDo you have a book or service that you want to share with our engaged audience? Check out our opportunities to sponsor with us.Advertise With Us

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• Hank Phillippi Ryan on All This Could Be Yours l Smart, Twisty Thrillers You’ll Devour

  Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.A career journalist turned thriller powerhouse, Hank Phillippi Ryan joins Laura to talk about the high-stakes cat-and-mouse ride of her latest novel, how book tour can turn terrifying, and why she writes smart women who fight for justice.In this episode, you’ll hear the real author-on-tour grind (airports, hotels, libraries, bookstores—only!), the secret that could upend everything for protagonist Tessa Calloway in All This Could Be Yours, and Hank’s philosophy on propulsive storytelling and triumphant endings. We also squeeze in a stellar “what to read next” pick.📚Books MentionedAll This Could Be Yours by Hank Phillippi Ryan — Buy on Amazon | Thriller, Cat-and-Mouse | Audio ✅ (narrated by Sarah Mollo-Christensen)Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister — Buy on Amazon | Time-twist Thriller | Book Club-worthy | Audio ✅ 💌Connect with Hank Phillipi RyanWebsite: https://hankphillippiryan.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! Mentioned in this episode:🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. AudibleAdvertise with UsDo you have a book or service that you want to share with our engaged audience? Check out our opportunities to sponsor with us.Advertise With Us

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• Books Like Stars Hollow: Cozy Fall Romance Recs (Preview)

  Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.In this week’s preview episode, we’re going full Stars Hollow life—think Gilmore Girls banter, cozy small-town charm, and just the right amount of romance. If you love the feeling of a Hallmark fall movie in book form, this one’s for you. We kick things off with Fall I Want by Lyra Parish, a grumpy/sunshine small-town romance set against crisp autumn days, pumpkin spice lattes, and fake-dating swoons—all available on Kindle Unlimited.This is just a taste of what you’ll find inside our new community podcast on Substack. Along with bonus episodes, you’ll also get quarterly meetups, virtual author panels, and a weekly mood-reading curated daylist to help you build the perfect TBR.Right now, you can lock in a 20% off forever annual subscription—just $48 for the year. Join us for cozy recs, community vibes, and your next favorite read.Sign up here!Mentioned in this episode:Advertise with UsDo you have a book or service that you want to share with our engaged audience? Check out our opportunities to sponsor with us.Advertise With Us🎧 Try Audible Today I love Audible for their original novellas, binge-worthy Plus Catalog (like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series), and their amazing audiobook sales. Currently, Audible is offering a special promotion for new members and returning listeners. Audible

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