Podcast Summary: Currently Reading – S8E32 "Exciting Adaptations + How To Audiobook"

Hosts: Meredith Monday Schwartz & Kaytee Cobb
Date: March 16, 2026

Episode Overview

Meredith and Kaytee dive into the latest in bookish news, share their current reads (ranging from classic crime series to buzzy influencer fiction and ghostly thrillers), and answer a listener question with an in-depth guide to becoming a better audiobook listener. The episode is lively, honest, and full of practical advice and passionate opinions—delivered in their signature, spoiler-free style.

Key Segments & Timestamps

1. Bookish Moments of the Week [01:08–10:13]
2. Current Reads [10:13–43:10]
3. Deep Dive: How to Audiobook [43:10–55:11]
4. Bookish Friend & Listener Recommendations [55:11–56:58]
5. Currently Curious: Should You Stick With a Book? [56:58–61:56]

Bookish Moments of the Week

[01:08–10:13]

• Meredith shares excitement over the release of the new PBS adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo (one of her favorite books), praising its production quality and casting but humorously critiquing Sam Claflin's pre-beard look:

  “Fully shaved Sam Claflin is giving me these mixed signals... It’s like a sexy baby, and it’s kind of like, no, nobody likes that. Nobody likes that.” – Meredith [02:22]

• Sarah J. Maas News:
  Meredith and Kaytee discuss the announcement of three more ACOTAR books, buzzing about the future connections between Maas’s series and how these publishing moments benefit the entire industry and bookish community:

  “Every dollar that little ones come in and spend on Romantasy is another dollar that is helping our bookstores and our libraries … keep going.” – Meredith [06:05]

• Kaytee shares the high of a recommendation instantly taken, as her church’s rector devours a succession of her fiction picks for joy and connection. She lists:

  • All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle
  • The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defeede

Current Reads

Meredith

[10:18–35:10]

1. The Night She Died by Dorothy Simpson
   A classic British police procedural, and the first in a beloved, under-the-radar series.

   • “If you’re a police procedural fan who wants a perfect mix of solid detective work and characters who care about living full lives, this is a series you will love. I do. It’s a series on which I accept no criticism.” – Meredith [15:26]

2. The Caretaker by Marcus Cleaver
   A horror sophomore novel she found deeply disappointing compared to his first.

   • “This book managed to be simultaneously boring and confusing, which is a terrible one-two punch...” – Meredith [24:50]
   • “If you loved We Used to Live Here, temper your expectations on this one.” – Meredith [25:24]

3. A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James
   A new, five-star ghost story set in the world of The Sundown Motel; praised for its chilling atmosphere and rich sibling dynamics.

   • “Nobody, nobody does ghosts better than Simone St. James. That is a hill I will happily die on. ...This book is Exhibit A for why I feel that way.” – Meredith [31:05]
   • Describes how the atmospheric tension affected her even as she was recording:

     “Out of the corner of my eye… I just saw the door of my office open very, very slowly… It was Lou.” [34:35]

Kaytee

[16:26–43:10]

1. Courtroom Drama by Neeli Tubati Alexander A reality TV-adjacent jury romance full of high jinks and ethical gray areas, recommended for those who enjoy forced-proximity tales and don't mind some suspension of disbelief.

   • Best review tidbit:

     “If you’re a lawyer, you’re going to be disturbed at all of the inadmissible character evidence and jury misconduct. I also kept screaming objection out loud…” – Kaytee reading a Storygraph reviewer [19:43]

2. Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver Older essay collection reflecting on 9/11’s impact, community, cleaving and division—hailed for its lingering relevance.

   • “Barbara Kingsolver puts all of that tension into her writing here. It’s beautiful, artfully chosen words to what are universal experiences.” – Kaytee [27:48]

3. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (Volumes 1–8) by Beth Brower A binge-worthy, gentle, Victorian-England series told as journals, full of warmth and quirky community. Kaytee mainlines all eight audiobooks in two weeks thanks to high library availability.

   • “I just drank it down in one giant gulp. I finished all eight books in February in about two weeks…” – Kaytee [35:53]
   • “It is lovely and calm and kind and community oriented and you just sink into it and live there in joy and comfort and reassurance.” [39:29]

Deep Dive: How To Audiobook

Listener Question from Amanda: “How do you become a better audiobook listener?”
[43:10–55:11]

Practical Tips & Wisdom

• Earbuds > Car Speakers:
  Kaytee's unscientific survey suggests earbuds produce more focus than car speakers [44:39].

• Speed it up (but not too much):
  Fast narration can aid focus when attention wanders. Most can tolerate 1.25x; experiment, but don’t feel pressured.

  “Start at 1.25. Pretty much anybody can listen at 1.25. My youngest kid listens at 1.75…” – Kaytee [45:17] “Every book is its own thing. So I, I always, I have to really listen to get a sense of it. And I default to slower rather than faster for me … I really want to say that because I’ve talked to a lot of people who feel that way...” – Meredith [47:07]

• Don’t white-knuckle it:
  Use the 15 or 30-second rewind liberally without guilt. [48:38]

• Ritual/Transition Time:
  Meredith shares her ritual for switching from work brain to audiobook mode—three songs first, then audiobook—especially effective for commutes. [49:11]

• Find your “good” moments:
  If car listening doesn’t work, try pairing audiobooks with chores, makeup, walks, or any repetitive, low-brain task. Try listening while doing hair with noise-canceling earbuds. [51:37]

• Choose your genres/narrators wisely:
  Thrillers, mysteries, engaging nonfiction are often easier entry points. Try book samplers before committing—narrator makes a difference! [52:14]

• Audiobook app features matter:
  Try different apps (Libby, Audible, Spotify, Libro.fm); experiment with their unique features like sync, sleep timers, visual progress bars, or syncing audio/ebook. [53:24]

• Audiobooking is a skill:
  “It is something that your brain needs time to rewire to. … Keep trying because you will find something that works for you.” – Meredith [54:53]

Memorable Quotes

• “Audiobook listening is a skill … keep trying because you will find something that works really well for you.” – Meredith [54:53]
• “I'm an evangelist for audiobook listening, for sure.” – Kaytee [44:21]

Bookish Friend of the Week & Community Recommendations

[55:11–56:58]

• Kelly’s 30th Anniversary Alaska-to-BC Cruise:
  Bookish friends recommend audiobooks set in Alaska or Vancouver, such as Greenwood by Michael Christie, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, and suggestions for indie bookstores en route.

Currently Curious: Should I Stick With Wolf Hall?

[56:58–61:56]

Meredith admits her struggle with Wolf Hall despite loving the slow read community (Footnotes and Tangents) and asks for advice on whether to push through or let go at the 50% mark.

“I keep wanting it to start being about something… it just feels really beautifully disjointed to me ... am I now just spending good time after bad?” – Meredith [58:13–61:30]

Kaytee advises soliciting experiences from readers who persisted to the end and acknowledges the sunk cost fallacy. The overall verdict: get targeted feedback and don’t feel guilty about moving on if it’s not working for you.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “This doesn’t sound like the right combination of investment and return.” – Kaytee, re: The Caretaker [25:53]
• “I will plant a flag on that hill. I will lay down and let my corpse rot cold on that hill.” – Meredith, praising Simone St. James ghost stories [31:05]
• Lou (the dog) scares Meredith during her ghost story review, hilarious real-time ambiance [34:35–35:18]

Episode Summary

This episode blends newsy book world excitement—like adaptation premieres and major fantasy announcements—with frank, funny, and insightful reviews. The deep dive into audiobooks is practical and encouraging, demystifying an area where many readers struggle, while the community segment and “Should I quit this book?” question model the best of supportive, engaged book life.

Through laughs, a little tough love, and a wealth of recommendations, Meredith and Kaytee once again craft an episode that’s essential listening for book lovers of all stripes.