Currently Reading – S8 E27: "We Control Our Reading + Boss My TBR"
February 9, 2026
Hosts: Meredith Monday Schwartz & Kaytee Cobb

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee celebrate the freedom and joy of curating their own reading lives—a main theme that runs through both personal anecdotes and book recommendations. The episode features vibrant discussion of recent reads (from academic mysteries to old-school sci-fi and overlooked animal nonfiction), thoughts on rereading and changing as readers, and the return of their "Boss My TBR" segment, where they help listeners prioritize their to-read stacks. The co-hosts also debut a new closing format—"Before We Go"—to replace their long-running segment, The Fountain.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Bookish Moments of the Week (02:37 – 07:42)

• Kaytee's Bookstore Visit:

  • Recaps her family’s trip to Monterey and San Francisco, including a cherished detour to City Lights Bookstore: “I loved wandering this old bookstore, wandering the stacks, partaking of the history there.” (04:00)
  • Describes City Lights’ focus: literary fiction/nonfiction on the main floor, genre fiction in the basement, and poetry on the top floor.

• Meredith’s Reading Realization:

  • Reflects on her ongoing slow read of Wolf Hall with a buddy group and the "Footnotes and Tangents" podcast.
  • Shares an epiphany about self-imposed reading rules: “I am the boss of my own reading. Did you know that?...You read whatever you want to read, and you read it as quickly or as slowly as you want.” (04:44, 07:42)

Current Reads: Reviews & Commentary

1. History Lessons by Zoe B. Walbrook – Kaytee (07:59 – 11:12)

• Academic mystery starring Daphne, a history professor drawn into a murder case with sharp observations about academia, patriarchy, and the complexities of modern life.
• “It's a distinctive experience that leads to the reader feeling like this character has something special to offer...I loved Daphne.” (08:34)
• Four stars for immersive academia, compelling but slightly sluggish pacing, and hope for a sequel.

2. Sphere by Michael Crichton – Meredith (11:54 – 15:35)

• A claustrophobic, high-stakes underwater sci-fi thriller featuring a team of scientists who discover something terrifying on the ocean floor.
• “He takes smart people, isolates them with something terrifying…and then watches what happens when he turns the pressure up and up and up.” (11:55)
• Commends the propulsive action, intellectual intrigue, and a pitch-perfect ending, though she notes dated gender dynamics: “You have to contextualize [the depiction of women] as a product of its time.” (13:49)

3. Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb – Kaytee (16:23 – 20:23)

• Narrative nonfiction exploring beavers as a keystone species and environmental superheroes, with personal and historic context.
• “It turns out… beavers can basically save the landscape and the water table and maybe even the world.” (17:29)
• Five stars; Kaytee now identifies as a “beaver believer,” delighting in nonfiction that sparks newfound passions for overlooked animals.

4. The Sleeper Lies by Andrea Mara – Meredith (21:58 – 26:27)

• Irish domestic suspense about an isolated woman under threat, blending past and present mysteries.
• While the premise is strong, the pacing and dual timeline construction fail to fully engage: “This one was mid… not bad, not great. There was a great ending, but it just didn’t flow.” (25:12)

5. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Reread) – Kaytee (26:35 – 31:20)

• Kaytee revisits a formerly disliked novel and finds her opinion changed with time.
• “I'm so glad I gave myself a chance to read it again as a different person, knowing how much I had changed…I loved this book the second time.” (28:46)
• Sparks a broader discussion on the value of rereading as readers grow and change.

6. Snap by Belinda Bauer – Meredith (33:14 – 37:26)

• Five-star thriller following a boy forced into caretaking (and burglary) after his mother disappears, interweaving multiple storylines and character arcs.
• “Your allegiances will shift… I found myself rooting for really unexpected people.” (35:34)
• Strongly recommends to fans of Lisa Jewell and Catherine Ryan Howard.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “If you struggle with this in your reading because you’ve made up any sort of ‘should,’ I just wanted to let you know, once again: you are the boss of your own reading.” – Meredith (07:22)
• “When an author finds something they’re super into, and then they use their God-given gifts to convince me that I also am super into it… I did not give a rat’s tail about beavers prior to this book, but bring on the octopuses, the turtles, the birds, and the beavers.” – Kaytee (19:21)
• “Bringing a mid-book is the worst kind of book to bring to the show. Give me bad, give me great. Mid is hard to make interesting content about.” – Meredith (24:36)
• “I’m so glad I didn’t say, ‘Well, that’s my opinion; put it on my tombstone—Katie Cobb hated The Dutch House,’ because I love it now and I was allowed to hate it then.” – Kaytee (32:43)
• “The premise is strong but the pacing was off… it made me tired to read it rather than feel satisfied.” – Meredith on The Sleeper Lies (25:05)

Boss My TBR Segment (37:27 – 47:15)

The hosts help two Bookish Friends prioritize their reading lists:

Gretchen's TBR (38:11 – 42:54)

• Choices: For Whom the Bell Tolls (J.C. Lynn), When the Stars Go Dark (Paula McLain), Bride (Ali Hazelwood), Monk and Robot (Becky Chambers), Gilded (Marissa Meyer)
• Meredith’s Order: For Whom the Bell Tolls → When the Stars Go Dark → Monk and Robot (41:08)
• Kaytee’s Order: Monk and Robot (for emotional balm) → For Whom the Bell Tolls → Bride (noting it’s a lighter intro to “omegaverse” romance) (41:56)

Lauren's TBR (43:46 – 47:04)

• Choices: I Medusa (Ayana Gray), Meet the Newmans (Jennifer Niven), Fear and Fury (Heather Ann Thompson), Leviathan Wakes (James S.A. Corey), Dungeon Crawler Carl (Matt Dinniman)
• Both opt for Meet the Newmans and Fear and Fury as top picks.
• Kaytee chooses I Medusa next; Meredith prioritizes Dungeon Crawler Carl, which she has recently enjoyed, and notes plans to bring it to a future episode.

New Segment Debut: "Before We Go" (47:46 – 56:13)

To keep their closings fresh and flexible, Meredith and Kaytee introduce “Before We Go” with two parts:

1. Bookish Friends Highlights (49:41 – 52:06):
   Meredith shares two popular posts from their private Facebook group—one organizing a Democracy Awakening buddy read (37 participants!) and another seeking (and rapidly receiving) sleepy book recommendations for nighttime insomnia.
2. Tasting Menu of Mini-Topics (52:06 – 56:13):
   Kaytee explains themed closing options: curiosity, listener recs, sleeper hits, DNF confessions, and TBR triage.
   • This week: Kaytee does a "TBR triage," deciding to unhaul (and offer to Meredith) the Left-Handed & Sinister Booksellers duology by Garth Nix, which have languished on her shelf due to series-order confusion:
     “When I got home, I found out … this is the second in a series. … Now that I had both, I no longer wanted to read either. … I became so disenchanted with picking up the second one and being messed up in my head around them, so they got, like, sullied.” (55:46)

Important Timestamps

• Bookish Moment of the Week: 02:37 – 07:42
• Current Reads: 07:59 – 37:26
• Boss My TBR: 37:27 – 47:15
• Before We Go Segment: 47:46 – 56:13

Final Notes

• The co-hosts encourage listeners to shed reading “shoulds,” embrace personal reading rhythms, and even revisit books as new people.
• Meredith and Kaytee’s laughter and candor—plus warmth toward their community—shine throughout.
• Listener engagement is front-and-center, from Facebook group highlights to TBR triage.
• Stay tuned for Meredith’s thoughts on Dungeon Crawler Carl and for more inventive “Before We Go” moments in future episodes.

To connect:

• Meredith: @meredithmondayschwartz
• Kaytee: @notesonbookmarks
• Podcast: currentlyreadingpodcast.com | @currentlyreadingpodcast (Instagram & YouTube)

May your coffee be hot and your book be unputdownable. Happy reading!