Currently Reading – Season 8, Episode 13

Title: Reading Too Much + Ranking Our #1 Reads In Years Past
Date: October 27, 2025
Hosts: Meredith Monday Schwartz & Kaytee Cobb

Episode Overview

In this rich, energetic episode, Meredith and Kaytee embark on an unprecedented challenge: ranking their top books of the year from 2019 to 2024 and choosing the single best of those beloved reads. The hosts also share delightful bookish moments, dive into their current reads (with plenty of recommendations), discuss the perils of reading too many books at once, and wrap up with their wishes in the Fountain segment. Prepare for heated debate, passionate recommendations, and a heartfelt reflection on what makes a book truly unforgettable.

Bookish Moments of the Week

Kaytee’s Moment [02:02]

• Her kids used a 3D printer to create a foldable, purple book holder, perfect for holding books open while multitasking (cooking, crocheting, eating breakfast).
• "They printed me a book holder... It folds up and turns into like an easel and it has little legs that come forward and can hold the pages of the book." – Kaytee [02:16]
• Discusses the price and joy of having a 3D printer for custom book accessories.

Meredith’s Moment [05:21]

• An epiphany: reading seven books at once was too much, especially when combined with various murder mystery TV shows.
• Paring down to four books at a time (audio, Kindle, print, morning read) improved her reading experience.
• "I finally just pared down and said, you know what? You are reading a morning read. You are reading one on audio, one on digital... That is it. It is four. Four. Stop." – Meredith [06:22]

Discussion: Setting Boundaries for Reading

Both hosts discuss their personal limits:

• Kaytee adds read-alouds and buddy reads but agrees four to five books is her max.
• The importance of recognizing and honoring one’s bandwidth as a reader.
• "We all welcome some sort of boundary. Right? Boundaries can be really helpful." – Meredith [07:41]

Current Reads

Kaytee’s Picks

1. How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Puchella Winans [07:52]

   • YA horror set in "Slasherville" with nods to Scream-era tropes, survivalist mom, and LGBTQ+ rep. Not overly gory but contains language.
   • "Anyone who grew up in the era of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer is going to find that this book hits all the right notes." – Kaytee [10:45]
   • Hosts riff on “destination slasher towns” and small-town horror culture.

2. A Rebellion of Care by David Gate [17:04]

   • Contemporary poetry and essays from Instagram poet David Gate, focused on radical empathy, parenthood (notably, the poem “Michelangelo”), and microdosing poetry daily.
   • "Being a parent is the most creative calling on earth. So if you feel like you have no energy or ideas for anything else at all, it is because every single day you are painting a freakin' Sistine Chapel." – David Gate (read by Kaytee) [19:15]
   • Kaytee advocates for poetry calendars and “microdosing” poems.

3. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams [25:34]

   • Historical fiction grounded in the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, following Esme as she archives women’s lost words excluded from the official lexicon. Fiercely feminist and unexpectedly moving.
   • "I was obsessed with Esme by the end. I wanted to write my own dictionary of lost words... the way that Pip Williams brought her story to life." – Kaytee [27:56]

Meredith’s Picks

1. Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh [12:11]

   • Legal thriller: two sisters accuse each other of their father’s murder; courtroom drama with Cavanagh’s signature fast pacing.
   • "I inhaled this book like it was a hamburger, and I hadn't eaten in three days." – Meredith [13:09]
   • The Eddie Flynn series is accessible and doesn’t need to be read in order.

2. Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie [21:06]

   • Mid-tier Poirot: a closed-room murder aboard an airplane in 1935. Meredith finds this one “mechanical” and affected by Poirot’s static character.
   • "This one was missing that usual like life, that joie de vivre that keeps me coming back... everything here felt really expected." – Meredith [22:01]
   • The historical air travel details were the highlight.

3. Frozen People by Elly Griffiths [29:33]

   • New series: DS Allie D. travels back to Victorian London to solve a cold case, balancing police procedural, historical fiction, and light sci-fi.
   • "She has just decided in her life that she's not going to apologize for anything. Griffiths weaves together police procedural, historical fiction, and just enough sci fi to keep you on your toes." – Meredith [31:31]
   • Strong mother-son dynamics reminiscent of The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain.

Deep Dive: The Impossible Task – Picking THE Top Book (and Ranking Past #1s)

Listener Prompt: Rebecca Hoffer asks Meredith and Kaytee to take their six annual #1s (2019-2024) and choose an absolute favorite.

Their #1 Books by Year

• Meredith:

  • 2019: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
  • 2020: Greenwood by Michael Christie
  • 2021: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
  • 2022: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
  • 2023: Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
  • 2024: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

• Kaytee:

  • 2019: The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall
  • 2020: Pride by Ibi Zoboi
  • 2021: All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle
  • 2022: Babel by R.F. Kuang
  • 2023: Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
  • 2024: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

The Agony of Ranking

• Both agonize over eliminating beloved reads, equating the task humorously to “killing children” or “walking away from the podcast.”
• Bracket, ranking, and forced-choice exercises ensue, with lots of laughter, mock despair, and mock betrayal (especially as Meredith feels she’s “cheating on” Amor Towles by picking The Tainted Cup over A Gentleman in Moscow).
• Notable Quote:
  "I found myself saying things like, can I just not make a choice? ...Nothing worked. But then finally I was like, okay Jackson, pretend like you're gonna smack me across the face...and I said the tainted Cup." – Meredith [42:08]

FINAL RANKINGS

Meredith's Final (Bracket) Choice:

1. The Tainted Cup
2. A Gentleman in Moscow
3. The Ten Thousand Doors of January
4. Clytemnestra
5. A Curse So Dark and Lonely
6. Greenwood

Kaytee's Final (Ranking) Choice:

1. All the Lonely People
2. Babel
3. The Dearly Beloved
4. Pride
5. All the Colors of the Dark
6. Black Cake

• On revisiting and book personality:
  • "That damn book... If you had to hand a book to someone and say, if you like this book, then you might like me. That's why it's resonating with me so much." – Meredith (about The Tainted Cup) [46:40]
  • "And that is really what it came down to for All the Lonely People for me. It is probably my most recommended book of the last five years...I would do anything [Mike Gayle] asked me to." – Kaytee [46:40]

An Interactive Challenge

• Listeners invited to try this “kill your darlings” ranking with their own annual favorites, sharing in a special giveaway on Instagram.
• The hosts brainstorm a generous prize bundle for those brave enough to participate.
• "I think people will realize how much those books have become part of their personality." – Kaytee [49:30]

Bookish Self-Discovery

• Suggest tracking favorites yearly for future self-understanding and reading satisfaction.
• Both recommend using AI tools to analyze patterns or for tailoring recommendations based on one’s selected favorites.

The Fountain: Wishes for the Reading Life

Kaytee’s Wish [52:00]

• To better protect and utilize reading time during kids’ extracurricular activities, rather than letting distractions (work, phone) take over.
• Considers practical strategies like scheduling, locking away devices, and “putting [herself] in timeout for an inning of baseball.”

Meredith’s Wish [54:30]

• Encourages listeners to start compiling annual favorite book lists, as it both enriches future reading and makes the ranking challenge more meaningful.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I inhaled this book like it was a hamburger, and I hadn’t eaten in three days.” – Meredith on 50/50 [13:09]
• “Being a parent is the most creative calling on earth. So if you feel like you have no energy or ideas for anything else at all, it is because every single day you are painting a freakin’ Sistine Chapel.” – David Gate poem read by Kaytee [19:15]
• “Boundaries can be really helpful.” – Meredith [07:41]
• “That damn book… It is like if you had to hand a book to someone and say, if you like this book, you might like me.” – Meredith on The Tainted Cup [46:40]
• “I would do anything [Mike Gayle] asked me to. I just will.” – Kaytee [47:10]

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Bookish Moments of the Week – [02:02]
• Current Reads – [07:52]
• Ranking Past #1 Reads Deep Dive – [35:16]
• Interactive Book Ranking Challenge Announcement – [48:35]
• Fountain (Wishes) – [52:00]

Tone & Takeaways

The hosts blend heartfelt vulnerability, humor, and their signature bookish passion. They offer a behind-the-scenes look at what shapes a reader’s “all-time favorites” and how those choices can reflect (and shape) one’s reading identity. Expect strong opinions, some agony, lots of book recommendations, and an engaging nudge to connect deeper with your own reading life.

Find full show notes, book lists, and the special ranking challenge on Instagram @currentlyreadingpodcast or at currentlyreadingpodcast.com.