Currently Reading Podcast

Season 8, Episode 26: The End Of An Era + Why We Re-Read
Hosts: Meredith Monday Schwartz & Roxanna Casamcaro
Date: February 2, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Meredith and Roxanna, two devoted bibliophiles, celebrate community, deep freezes (literal and literary), and dive into the reasons for rereading cherished books. They each share thoughtful, spoiler-free reviews of their recent reads, discuss the controversial topic of book stickers, and reflect on the building and value of bookish friendships. This week’s deep dive explores why and how readers revisit old favorites or previously DNF’d titles. The episode concludes with the final appearance of the beloved—but divisive—“Fountain” segment.

Key Topics and Discussions

1. Bookish Community & Friendship (00:10–07:36)

• The Power of Bookish Friends: Meredith and Roxanna reflect on their friendship born from the podcast’s community, emphasizing the value of bookish connections, both online and in real life.
  • “But for the community aspect of our Bookish friends, what we offer… the bookish friends Facebook group… is where the rubber really meets the road as far as building in an amount of satisfaction to your reading life that is really amazing.” (Meredith, 04:21)
• Encouragement to Join the Community: They share the perks of joining the Bookish Friends group on Facebook or Discord (extra content, recommendations, and authentic connection).
• Listener Welcome: Shoutout to increased listenership following a New York Times feature.

2. Bookish Moments of the Week

a) The Great Sticker Debate (07:36–11:27)

• Roxanna offers an insider’s manufacturing perspective on why bookstore stickers (e.g., book club picks) are rarely easily removable:
  • “It's not like you're not going to buy the book if it doesn't have the sticker. So to add on all this extra cost and freight and inventory of the stickers and the hand packing doesn't make any sense.” (Roxanna, 09:29)
• Explains why change isn’t likely and suggests creative workarounds, like buying cover stickers from Etsy.

b) The Pink Ground Beef Moment (11:27–14:07)

• Meredith introduces a new bookish metaphor for the “slump” often felt between 20%-50% of a book:
  • “20% to 50% of each book falls into this category for me—it's the pink ground beef part of the book.” (Meredith, 12:29)
  • “You know it's going to get good, but it's not good yet.” (Roxanna, 13:22)
• Instant resonance and humor; could become a new recurring term.

3. Current Reads: In-Depth Book Discussions

[Timestamps mark the start of each review]

The Q by Beth Brower (Roxanna, 14:19)

• Cozy, immersive, Victorian-inspired novel about a prodigy editor navigating mysterious inheritance trials.
• “It's a world you want to just sink into and live. As we know, Beth Brower is a genius at character development… It's such a warm, snuggly duvet of a book.” (Roxanna, 16:47)
• 600 pages but “reads fast”—perfect for winter.
• Recommended for fans of Emma M. Lion.
• (14:19–19:52)

Lock In by John Scalzi (Meredith, 20:03)

• Near-future sci-fi procedural where people “locked in” by a pandemic interact through robotic bodies.
• “The world building is absolutely fantastic… Instead of feeling lost or frustrated, you are treated to John Scalzi, who is brilliant, who gives you these puzzle pieces that very quickly begin to click into place.” (Meredith, 21:23)
• Funny, propulsive, smart; some convenient plotting but ultimately very enjoyable.
• (20:03–26:28)

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine (Roxanna, 26:38)

• A twisty, food-centric thriller about an infamous chef writing her tell-all memoir—including suspicious recipes.
• “It's juicy… This is a twisty thriller that keeps you guessing all the way through. Now, it is not horror. It looks like horror. It is not.” (Roxanna, 26:44)
• Dark humor, family secrets, but not graphic—“It paid off.”
• (26:38–32:18)

The Governess and the Rogue by Mimi Matthews (Meredith, 32:18)

• Sweet, closed-door historical romance novella perfect as a mood cleanser.
• “She's consistent in that really great way. She's easy to read… and lifts your mood.” (Meredith, 34:33)
• Praises representation of “normal” protagonists and the comfort of non-spicy romance.
• (32:18–37:41)

A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar (Roxanna, 38:20)

• Literary fiction set in climate-ravaged Kolkata, exploring ethics, survival, and perspective shifts.
• “The question at the heart of this book is… who is the guardian and who is the thief? Now, that sounds really philosophical, but it’s not. It switches every time you move… really makes you think about your code of ethics.” (Roxanna, 40:01)
• Disturbing but accessible; “unputdownable” and lasting.
• (38:20–42:23)

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (Meredith, 42:40)

• Meredith’s #2 book of 2025. Tender, heartfelt fantasy about a forgotten prince thrust into power.
• “Some books I just feel very tender about. This is one of them… From the first paragraph, Katherine Addison had me and she never let go.” (Meredith, 43:13)
• Intrigue, kindness, and growth: “If you love character driven fantasy where the protagonist earns your devotion because they're just really decent, this is your book.”
• 4.1 stars on Goodreads with over 54,000 reviews.
• (42:40–52:31)

4. Deep Dive: Why Do We Re-Read? (53:42–62:58)

Listener Question from Georgia:

How do you decide to pick up a book you've DNF'd or one you've read before? Why do you reread?

Hosts’ Perspectives:

• Roxanna: Re-reading can signify self-care or self-soothing during tough times, but she pays attention to why she’s doing it. Aims for 5-10% of her annual reading.
• Meredith: Historically infrequent re-reader, but finds value in “close reads” (especially for discussions), and for understanding how a book changes with life perspective.
  • “Sometimes I'll do a reread because I want to read along with my kids or… with you. And that is really fun for me. Also, I like doing rereads because it feels luxurious…” (Meredith, 54:33)
• Immediate rereads: “I finish a book and reread it immediately… those are really enjoyable.” (Meredith, 56:18)
• Roxanna: Rereads select romances for comfort, revisits children’s books to experience the viewpoint shift as she ages, and often re-listens to favorite audiobooks for nostalgia and emotional fulfillment.
  • “I love reading those books where I can now understand a different perspective and understand how the writer did that.” (Roxanna, 61:33)
• Both acknowledge rereading as a unique, personal, and valuable aspect of a rich reading life.

5. The Final “Fountain” Segment (64:13–66:51)

• In response to listener feedback, this is the final “Wish at the Fountain” segment.
• Roxanna wishes for more bookish literary societies, both virtual and in-person, encouraging Toronto listeners to connect.
• Meredith’s wish: Watch “Bookish” on PBS—“so well written, the banter is top notch… very bookish and supports PBS.”
• “Ping, Splash” is retired with affection.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “20% to 50% of each book falls into this category for me—it's the pink ground beef part of the book.” (Meredith, 12:29)
• “This doesn't just follow a set premise down a predictable path… It's such a warm, snuggly duvet of a book.” (Roxanna on The Q, 16:47)
• “But for the community aspect of our Bookish friends… I always think about the fact that… but for the fact that we met in that bookish friends group.” (Meredith, 04:23)
• “We're kind of like, this is just the thing. I just have to get through this part.” (Meredith, 13:30)
• “It's not like you're not going to buy the book if it doesn't have the sticker… to add on all this extra cost… doesn't make any sense.” (Roxanna, 09:29)
• “From the first paragraph, Katherine Addison had me and she never let go. It's the kind of book that reminds me why I fell in love with reading so long ago.” (Meredith, 47:58)
• “Sometimes, for me, rereading is a sign of good mental health. Sometimes it's a sign of not so good mental health.” (Roxanna, 53:46)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Community Discussion & Bookish Friends: 00:10–07:36
• Sticker Debate: 07:36–11:27
• Pink Ground Beef Metaphor: 11:27–14:07
• Current Reads:
  • The Q (14:19)
  • Lock In (20:03)
  • The Dead Husband Cookbook (26:38)
  • The Governess and the Rogue (32:18)
  • A Guardian and a Thief (38:20)
  • The Goblin Emperor (42:40)
• Deep Dive: Why We Re-Read: 53:42–62:58
• Final Fountain Segment: 64:13–66:51

Tone and Style

Warm, analytical, deeply enthusiastic, with a touch of gentle humor—true to the hosts’ conversational, book-loving style.

For more bookish moments, extra content, and updates on new community initiatives, listeners are encouraged to join the Bookish Friends group and check out show notes at currentlyreadingpodcast.com.