Podcast Summary: The Currently Reading Podcast

Season 8, Episode 31: Book Festivals + Revisiting The Currently Reading Press List
Hosts: Meredith Monday Schwartz & Kaytee Cobb
Date: March 9, 2026

Episode Overview

This warm, bookish episode features Meredith and Kaytee diving into recent reads, sharing the joys of bookish community (including book festivals and book podcast recommendations), and revisiting their storied Currently Reading press list. The episode is a nostalgic, reflective look at how their tastes have evolved, as well as a celebration of finding connection—whether that’s over dinner at the Tucson Festival of Books, in a long-loved book, or in a sigh of contentment at the end of a great read.

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Bookish Moments of the Week: [03:03]
• Current Reads: [06:31]
• Deep Dive: Revisiting the Press List: [34:21]
• Before We Go: Reader moments & Preorder excitement: [49:58]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bookish Moments of the Week [03:03–06:25]

• Kaytee is gearing up for her third Tucson Festival of Books, organizing a listener dinner (March 14th) and inviting listeners to join. She shares the fun, connection, and new friendships that blossom at these events.
  “People end up making, like, forever friendships at these dinners...” – Kaytee [04:39]

• Meredith celebrates the return of the Diving In podcast, an Australian show with “two of the most amazing women” who have “the best book podcast theme song.”
  “They always make me interested in a book that maybe before I wasn’t.” – Meredith [05:21]

2. Current Reads [06:31–34:21]

Kaytee’s Picks

• Rec by Kathryn Newman
  [06:31]
  Sequel to Sandwich, this contemporary literary novel revisits the same family, exploring menopause, cross-generational relationships, and the comfort and challenge of family life.
  “There’s a mood and place to be with family and the turmoil and comfort of being in relationship with other humans...” – Kaytee [08:02]

  • Recommendation: Start with Sandwich.

• The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande
  [14:57]
  A moving memoir about Grande’s childhood in Mexico, separation from family, and immigration to the US.
  “The writing... is brilliant and lyrical...It brings further humanity to the stories...showing up in my newsfeed every day.” – Kaytee [17:54]

• Love and Fury by Samantha Silva
  [25:00]
  Historical fiction about Mary Wollstonecraft, bridging her life and influence with that of her daughter, Mary Shelley (Frankenstein).
  “It’s sad, with a capital S...but it’s also hopeful and feminist and forward-thinking.” – Kaytee [27:05]

Meredith’s Picks

• Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton
  [09:37]
  A real-time literary thriller set in a rural English school during a lockdown situation (school shooting).
  “The pacing is spot on... It’s exploring courage, sacrifice, the small things and large expressions of love that come out in moments like this.” – Meredith [12:56]

  • Comparison: Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips; less graphically violent than U.S.-set school shooting thrillers.

• Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic by C.M. Nascosta
  [18:50]
  Monster romance with a werewolf fertility clinic. Spicy, light, and surprisingly textured with engaging family dynamics.
  “I enjoy monster romance, particularly the cozy, spicy variety...There’s real value to having books like this in your reading.” – Meredith [23:41]

• The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty
  [28:13]
  Contemporary feminist retelling of Queen Guinevere’s story—Vera, a modern 22-year-old, discovers she’s Guinevere transported to Camelot.
  “If you loved A Curse So Dark and Lonely, this should be your next read...Big-hearted feminist time-slip storytelling.” – Meredith [29:52]

  • Highlights: Strong character dynamics, a mystery at the heart, first in a trilogy but satisfying as a standalone, content notes for one graphic assault scene.

3. Deep Dive: Revisiting the Currently Reading Press List [34:21–49:18]

• The Press List: For the first four-and-a-half seasons, Meredith and Kaytee each recommended (“pressed”) a book every episode they’d love to put in everyone’s hands.
  “It’s like opening a time capsule...It feels like two people...having a conversation about books they really love.” – Kaytee [35:05, 38:02]

• Listener Laura (aka Critterina) asked them to reflect on the list.

  • Which books still stand up as great recommendations?
  • How have their tastes changed?
  • Are there any books they wouldn’t press today?

• Key Insights:

  • Presses in early seasons felt easier and more aligned; over time, Kaytee and Meredith’s tastes diverged.
  • The list acts as a “staff picks” for a dream indie bookstore—their personal Venn diagram of favorite reads.
  • Some books haven’t aged as well or are now more context-specific (e.g., Matilda, acknowledged issues with Roald Dahl’s legacy).
  • Others remain timeless or even gained cultural relevance (e.g., Shōgun now a miniseries, Life After Life).
    “There are certainly books...I have different feelings about them than I did at the time. That’s because we grow and change...” – Kaytee [41:07]

• Future Plans:

  • Want to make the press list spreadsheet filterable and interactive for listeners to track which books they’ve read, and to see which host’s presses resonate most.

4. Before We Go [49:58–55:30]

• Reader Moment:

  • Listener Sue posted about “The Sigh of Contentment” she feels when finishing or pausing a particularly satisfying book.
    “It’s the sigh of contentment, of being within a book that feels really good to me...” – Meredith [51:57]
  • Encouragement to listeners: Notice those moments and what books provoke them.

• Kaytee’s Grab Bag:

  • Shoutout to Laura Tremaine (of the 10 Things To Tell You podcast) for her thorough Substack listing 2026 pre-orders and new releases.
  • The hosts discuss how to track anticipated releases that may not be on everyone’s radar. “I am curious about finding all the right ways...that all the books perfect for me are on my radar for the rest of this year.” – Kaytee [54:43]

• Most Anticipated Upcoming Releases:

  • Kin by Tayari Jones
  • Whistler by Ann Patchett
  • Land by Maggie O’Farrell
  • Louise Penny’s new spy thriller
  • Lady Tremaine (released the prior week)

Notable Quotes

• “Our conversations will always be spoiler free. Today we’ll discuss our current reads, a readerly deep dive, and a little something bookish before we go.” – Kaytee [00:24]
• “This family already felt like members of my own little group of beloveds...” – Kaytee, on Kathryn Newman's Rec [08:02]
• “What makes this book go from just a good thriller to a literary thriller...is that sentence-level writing.” – Meredith, on Three Hours [12:43]
• “There’s real value to having books like this in your reading.” – Meredith, on cozy, spicy monster romance [23:41]
• “Looking through it is like a bookshelf of favorites. If Katie and Meredith had a bookstore, this would be our staff picks section.” – Kaytee [48:56]

Final Thoughts

• The episode exemplifies Meredith and Kaytee’s signature blend of thoughtful, honest book discussion and a contagious love for the broader reading life.
• The deep dive is a friendly, candid look at the evolution of their taste and a celebration of the joy in tracking a shared reading journey.
• The Press List remains a goldmine for anyone seeking varied, heartfelt book recommendations, holding up as a “staff picks” shelf many readers have come to trust.

Links Mentioned:

• Currently Reading Press List
• Diving In Podcast
• Tucson Festival of Books
• Laura Tremaine’s Substack

Contact:
Email: hello@currentlyreadingpodcast.com
Instagram: @currentlyreadingpodcast
Substack: Currently Reading on Substack

May your coffee be hot and your book be unputdownable!