Shannon Malone (5:24)

Thank you for having me again.

Anne Bogle (5:26)

Shannon is our what should I read next? Patreon Community Manager and also one of our modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club co hosts. And today we're doing a mid year reading check in. You'll hear more about the history, the very short history of this practice. As we talk today, Shannon and I are going to explore how this year has been going so far for each of us. What we're excited about, what we initially said we wanted and how we have or haven't stuck to that, and what's working and maybe not working in each of our reading lives. We both had a lot of books to choose from and so much going on in all our busy lives where we have to do things other than read sometimes. So a mid year check in is a useful tool to make any adjustments or recalibrations. And I mean, sometimes I need a moment to say like, what am I doing and how did I get here? Is this what I want? Because reading is personal. We just want you to be happy in your reading life, whatever that looks like. So a check in can help you ensure you're getting exactly what you want from your reading life. Whether that looks like escape or education, just pure frothy enjoyment. All of the above, that's up to you. But today we're going to explore some options and I can't wait to dive in. Let's get to it. Okay. Shannon, Hello. Welcome.

Shannon Malone (6:44)

Hi.

Anne Bogle (6:46)

I'm so excited to do this. I love talking books with you. We get to talk about books a lot, usually off the audio feed here, but I'm happy to do it in any format. Thanks for joining me.

Shannon Malone (6:59)

Thank you again for having me.

Anne Bogle (7:01)

You know, reading is, gosh, listen to me, want to get all philosophical as we frame things up for everyone, but you know, I think that reading is personal. Reading is done in context. Reading is about finding I Mean, a satisfying reading life is about finding, like the right books, but also the right books for right now and managing the tension between, like, stretching yourselves in ways that feel really good in the end and like sinking into something that feels really, really that you know you're gonna love. So all that being said, what kind of energy were you bringing in to 2025?

Shannon Malone (7:43)

A narrowing of focus. Can I say that?

Anne Bogle (7:47)

Yeah. Love it.

Shannon Malone (7:48)

Liv, in one of our bonus episodes, used this phrase, turning down the volume. And I have borrowed it because there's been so much that has been going on and I just wanted to turn down the volume of all the stuff. So last year I concentrated on having more four and five star reads. This year I only wanted to read 25 five star reads in 2025. And I'm borrowing that from Gretchen Rubens. 25 and 2025. This is my only book goal. I don't have any others, you know. Oh, I can read this amount. The number of years I am. Because that used to be a goal or I'm going to clear my TBR shelf. Yeah, that. That's not. That's not happening right now. Very narrowing of focus. 25. Five star reads in 2025. Plus, I really do enjoy movies and television shows a lot. And I knew that I was going to do that, so I baked that in to my reading life this year. That I am going to watch things and I need time to do both.

Anne Bogle (9:10)

I love it. Well, first let me say that you and I did a Patreon bonus about our 2025 intentions and our plan. So you really get into detail about how you came up with this plan and what it was gonna you in that episode back in January that y'.

Shannon Malone (9:24)

All.

Anne Bogle (9:24)

If you're a patron or if you want to become one, you can listen at any time. It's there ready and waiting for you. Shannon, you are much more of a planner than I am when it comes to the year. I'm the one who makes all these methodical lists for things like the summer reading guide and fall book preview and kind of enjoy filling in the gaps. But I'm not methodical about those gaps. I just kind of go with my gut and see what surfaces for me. And that's. That's not your approach. And I like that about us together.

Shannon Malone (9:53)

Yeah, I do make a lot of plans. And I think for me, half the fun is making the plans, honestly, because sometimes the carrying it out doesn't happen as often as you think it would. But I do enjoy the planning process very much.

Anne Bogle (10:11)

A Reader lives a thousand lives. And I love how in the planning process you can envision what the year could be like, how it might feel, what you might explore and learn and find out.

Shannon Malone (10:20)

It's like that shoot for the moon. If you miss, you'll land upon the stars type of.

Anne Bogle (10:25)

Wow. We are a bevy of inspirational quotes this morning. Kind of silly, but like there's truth underneath all that for me. First, can I say the beginning of 2025 feels like such a long time ago.

Shannon Malone (10:41)

Same.

Anne Bogle (10:42)

I also know that when I entered 2025 I was tired and had a lot of personal obligations and some were fun and some not. Like I'm executor of both my parents estates right now. Like y', all, that's not my preferred way of spending my time even if it needs to be done. So I think what I said I wanted was books that feel right for me right now. I know I really thrive on both deep dives. Like it brings me great satisfaction to find a new to me author and read their entire catalog. But also I love variety in genre and feel and even to like alternate an 80 page book with an 800 page book. I love that I wanted books that helped me and that also felt in the works grounded, that they had depth, that they were absorbing. I don't mind works that are demanding and I know the whole team has heard me say this repeatedly. I did not want to feel like I was on the new book treadmill where I had to read new new new new new like to keep up with the demands of like what we do for spring book preview and summer reading guide and fall book preview. Like I didn't want to be on any kind of treadmill at all. Like the new release treadmill or anything. Like feeling like I had to keep up because it was important for work work. Like that's not what we want to do around here. So if we're not loving our reading as team members, like we there's a problem. So that that's what I said I wanted at the beginning of the year. Which is like kind of squishy.

Shannon Malone (12:10)

Yeah.

Anne Bogle (12:11)

Like the only way to really find out is this working is I guess to review my reading journal. Am I reading that variety? But also is it feeling good?

Shannon Malone (12:19)

Right.

Anne Bogle (12:20)

And I think it kind of is.

Shannon Malone (12:22)

Yeah.

Anne Bogle (12:22)

Okay.

Shannon Malone (12:23)

Yeah.

Anne Bogle (12:24)

Let's go back to you.

Shannon Malone (12:25)

Uh huh.

Anne Bogle (12:26)

How's it going?

Shannon Malone (12:27)

It's going well for me. Like that. Turning down the volume. I believe you had said this in the bonus episode that you talked about previously. To trust your gut and read great books.

Anne Bogle (12:40)

Like, that was a phrase you used. Let's put that on a sticker.

Shannon Malone (12:44)

Yeah. Well, there's a merch idea. I would buy that sticker. It's going well. And I have read 15 books so far this year, which is not as many as I normally would have done by now. By now, I would probably be at close to 30, so I've cut that in half. But 11 out of those 15 books I have read so far have been four and five star reads for me. And seven of them were actually five stars. Stars, y'. All. I am so thrilled about this. Like, I love looking over at what I read, and I'm going, yep, that was great. Yep. Love that. Yep. Love that. I so far have no. Like, why did I read that? Which is great. So, yeah, it's. It's. It's going. It's going well.

Anne Bogle (13:37)

That's a good feeling. Okay. I'm personally curious and also have reader comments ringing in my ears. I'd love to hear more about you reading Less. Y'. All, we tend to hear in your voices when we see you in person and in comments. Like, a lot of apologies about not reading that much. Reading slowly, that's another thing that we hear. Y' all be very apologetic about, and that's. That's not necessary. Like, reading more is only a problem if you really want to do it and you're. You're struggling, and then we can help you with that. But, Shannon, I'd love to hear if that's about being very deliberate with your choices, if that's about the good TV you're watching, if that's about the rhythms of your life. Could you say more about reading less?

Shannon Malone (14:23)

Yes. It's probably all of those things. Some people in MMD land, book club especially, already know this. We recently have a Puppy. He is 10 weeks old. And, oh, my gosh, I'm having all the flashbacks to the buddy man's infancy where, you know, oh, the puppy needs to do this and the puppy needs to do that, and, oh, it's time to do this with the puppy. Oh, the puppy's crying. Let's. Let's see what's wrong with the puppy. So that's been, like, my life for the past three weeks, y'.

Anne Bogle (14:56)

All. The puppy's so cute. This puppy does not need anything from me, but I need pictures of this puppy, and every time I see them, oh, he's so cute. He's so cute.

Shannon Malone (15:06)

Yeah. Yeah, he. He. He is a little handful, but we're. We're. We we love him and he is part of our family and he fits right in in his own little special. Far as like the year was concerned, I mentioned turning down the volume. There has been a lot going on. We don't need to go into the state of the world that in and of itself will send you running for the covers in a good book. But just all the things that were happening in my life, it was a lot. So I said, you know what? I'm just going to get really focused on trying to do the good stuff. One thing I learned in spring of this year, I try to write down my lessons learned every season. And I learned that I didn't realize how much everything needs to be personalized and individualized for optimum growth and optimum clarity and optimum just to make everything great. And that's the case with physical education and read a physical education from your summer reading guide.

Anne Bogle (16:14)

You read Casey Johnston.

Shannon Malone (16:16)

I did and I. And I learned that while I was reading that, I was like, wow, that's fantastic. Well, I relearned it or it was re emphasized. So this year I've really been focused on what is optimal for me. Like what is my what do I need and when do I need it. So that can be massages, that can be watching a television show that stretches my imagination, or that could also be be rewatching White Collar that was on the USA network a long, long time ago.

Anne Bogle (16:46)

Oh my gosh, Lucy loves White Collar.

Shannon Malone (16:48)

You know, so that knowing that I needed all of those other things in my life made me realize I probably won't have as much time to read. Like, I like to sleep. I need to get my sleep. And I usually read at night, but I was like, no, you need to probably be in bed and laying down and you know, nodding off around 9, 39, 45. That only allows me about. Well, not with the puppy. It only allows me about 15 minutes and that's all I have. So yeah, my goal for lowering those expectations was due to all of those things together and saying, look, I just want to focus on reading 25 great books this year.

Anne Bogle (17:34)

Yeah, well, I hear you really honoring how your reading life is a part, an important part. I think if you're listening to this podcast but can't be separated from the rest of your life.

Shannon Malone (17:48)

No, not at all.

Anne Bogle (17:49)

Nor should it be.

Shannon Malone (17:52)

It's interesting that I really haven't read a lot of the books from my physical TBR shelf. That's something that leaves me shaking my head like, huh, that's interesting. I've been Picking up the new stuff that's coming my way or, you know, and I've, I've been enjoying that and that has been good. But my physical shelf still has the same amount of books on it. So I'm kind of like, that's interesting. I want to kind of delve into that a little bit and figure that out. And I also learned that I have missed reading memoir so much. I've read so many this year and I've loved almost all of them. So, yeah, I'm like, okay, you need to add more of those for the second half of your reading year.

Anne Bogle (18:39)

You know, that's something that's come up again and again, like in our conversations and in team meetings. We're going to cook up like a fun memoir plan for fall or beyond, because we got to get into this more.

Shannon Malone (18:49)

Yeah, I've really enjoyed them.

Anne Bogle (18:52)

I'm glad to hear it.

Shannon Malone (18:53)

What about you? What do you want?

Anne Bogle (18:55)

Oh my gosh.

Shannon Malone (18:55)

Or how's it going? That's what I should have said.

Anne Bogle (18:58)

It's going great. And you know, some of these mid year freak out, lightning round questions we're gonna get to have really made me realize how well it's going. Cause, like, one of the questions we're gonna talk about is, what's your biggest disappointment? And I was thinking about, like, all the books that I was really pretty excited about, especially for Summer Reading Guide. And I've joked about this on the podcast how, like, I'll hear about a book, I'll think, oh my gosh, that's perfect for X category. And I'll finally get a copy and I'll sit down to read it and I'll be so excited and I'll get to page six and I'll be like, this is not what I wanted or thought it was gonna be.

Shannon Malone (19:33)

And.

Anne Bogle (19:33)

But like, I mean, that's not a big disappointment. That's just like, I don't how it goes. That's. Yeah, that's the reading life a lot of the time. And that's not so bad. But I have been reading so much good stuff and not everything has been amazing. I've read plenty of books that have just been like, serviceable. But I've also read so much that has been so good. And even the serviceable stuff is telling, you know, satisfying my curiosity about a book I was anticipating.

Shannon Malone (20:00)

Cleansing the palette.

Anne Bogle (20:02)

Yes. Something that sounded good. Everything has something interesting to offer to think about, to notice about me or what works for me in a book or what are trends right now and how is this Is this working? Like, I think books are really interesting. There are a couple of threads I've really enjoyed following. Like you're going to hear about at least one new to me author. I've discovered that I enjoyed going through the backlist. I'm finally reading a 1300 page book I've been meaning to read for 20 years. There's a lot of different things I'm able to learn and experience and you know, interesting stuff is interesting to me. I'm also learning a lot about our work and what like I and modern Mrs. Darcy and our team do a little differently than what else is out there. And I'm really enjoying learning about that and then like leaning into that a little more to put it into practice in what we're making. I've talked about morning reading and how I think it's actually been a couple of years ago at this point I started reading like personal growth books. The kind of books you and I have discussed on the podcast as therapy books, contemplative nonfiction. I've been reading that in the morning. It's still going great for me. We discussed that in our what's saving our reading life episode. Yeah, I've had a couple of weird periods where I've barely read anything for a whole week and that has not happened to me in years. And my version of barely read anything I'll own that's probably different than most readers versions. I mean for me that's probably a hundred pages over the course of the week is what I'm gonna call barely anything between what's in my ears and on the page. But that, that's been, you know, not even disorienting. That's been like, huh, that's different. What's going on here? And that's been fine.

Shannon Malone (21:53)

Yeah, I've had that same thing too. Like in the month of May. Yeah, in the month of May, I did not finish. And the only reason I know that is because I participate with Bridget and Donna in this reading check in every month and see how we're going with the goals that we set in. And I was like, oh, I didn't finish a book. But because of my goal of 25, Five Star reads, it doesn't matter. Like it's fine to have those couple of weird periods where you're barely reading.

Anne Bogle (22:24)

Yeah, I'm also enjoying seeing, you know, this may be more true for tv. We're rewatching some stuff in my house and it's been interesting to me to see how things have aged. And so I'm thinking, like, what's changed when, like, an old favorite show is just not hitting like it used to? Like, what's different? Is it the times? Is it me? But I've revisited some books as well, or I've picked up some books. That's the kind of thing I would have loved in the past, but I'm not finding it as satisfying now. So I'm having to ask myself, like, does this feel tired? Like, has this run its course? Is that true generally or just with me? I don't know. I just really love getting into. I mean, y'. All. Maybe all this is no surprise, because the whole premise of our podcast is, why do people enjoy what they enjoy? And what are we going to do about it? What does it mean? And I really enjoy answering those questions about myself as well. I just think it's fascinating why we love what we love, why some books work and others don't. And is that about right now, or is that about in general?

Shannon Malone (23:28)

A lot of it is about. I'm learning that a lot of it is about right now because I always kind of feel bad when I start thinking about a book that I did not like or it wasn't for me, and I'm like, you know, it may just not be for me, or it could be the season I was in, and I'm not ready for that. And maybe if I circle back around to it, you know, I will be ready for it. I've had a couple books like that, so, yeah.

Anne Bogle (23:55)

I mean, my kids tease me about how much I say, there's only one way to find out. There's one way to find out. You know how you can find out? I mean, Shannon, you know how to find out? You stick a bookmark in that baby, and you come back to it in three months, Six months, six years.

Shannon Malone (24:09)

Yeah. Yes. That has happened before. And sometimes I've been pleasantly surprised, and sometimes I'm like, no, that still doesn't work, and I release it back into the world for someone else, who it's perfect for, to find it.

Anne Bogle (24:22)

Oh, gosh. You know what? Some of my favorite literary conversations in 2025 have been the ones that go, okay, I just finished this book I thought I was going to love, and I did not. So there's like. Like, kind of puzzlement or even a little bit of a disappointment maybe, like, embodied in this question. And then I want to go find a reader who I suspect has read it as well and be like, tell me everything. Like, is it me? Is it the book? Is it the timing? And the book may not have been everything I'd hoped and dreamed of, but I love those conversations so much. Yeah, I tried to have one of them with you, but you haven't read that book yet.

Shannon Malone (25:03)

No, I have not.

Anne Bogle (25:04)

I think you're going to, though, and then we're going to talk about it.

Shannon Malone (25:06)

We'll get around to it eventually, I'm sure, because it is from an author I like, so. Yeah, but I don't know when because, you know, once again, I'm not reading 40 something books this year, so some stuff has to go and that's perfectly fine, too. And in our episode about our goals for the new year, you said you might consider selecting a monthly favorite this year. How's that going for you?

Anne Bogle (25:34)

Oh, well, Shannon, that's not going. But I remember that conversation and what I had in mind was how at the beginning of the year, the turmoil of sitting down, Reviewing the like 200 high 200s Number of books I've read, and going, okay, let's narrow this down to superlatives. I mean, in my first pass, I usually have 40, and that's too many to, like, count as favorites or to talk about as favorites on a podcast episode or a blog post. So I thought maybe if I shared my impressions with myself along the way, that would be easier. So I'm still, like, putting little stars in my reading journal next to titles that I especially loved, but I haven't chosen superlatives. I kind of want, like, I wonder if I could make myself do it, if I could, you know, hang up with you and go back to my journal and even to do a top three. And I know we've talked to readers on our team and then readers who've been guests on this podcast who create a top 10 for the year as they read those first 10 books of the year. And then, you know, if they read something amazing, then it knocks something out of the top 10 and they go through the year like that. And I, oh, gosh, that makes me anxious thinking about doing that.

Shannon Malone (26:54)

Well, that's the way I do it. I got it from Ginger. I have a note on my phone. And if, when I finish a book, I slot it right in. Now I don't. I think Ginger restricts it to a 10. And not that, you know, you know, something gets knocked out. I don't. It's just I order them as I read them.

Anne Bogle (27:11)

Yeah.

Shannon Malone (27:12)

So I'm like, oh, that one wasn't quite as, you know, great to me as this one. So I slot and I slide it in So I have 15 books and they've been ranked on my note. But I do separate fiction from nonfiction because I just don't think it's. It's right to treat the two as the same. They're. They're totally different.

Anne Bogle (27:31)

How do you rank them? Is your criteria your general feeling about the book, or is it something like, I can see that this is completely brilliantly done?

Shannon Malone (27:41)

Both. So a combination of that makes up my ranking. So how I feel about it is always going to be something that's very prevalent in my mind. But if something is brilliantly done, in my opinion, it will get a higher slot. And if the two of them are together, then to me, that's. That's five stars. Like, that's. Oh, yeah, that was. That was awesome. That was amazing. I can't stop thinking about it, which is also another criteria of a book. Even if I thought the writing was. Or, you know, whatever, if I can't stop thinking about it, then that might mean I need to reevaluate that ranking because something's happening there that I didn't.

Anne Bogle (28:26)

See initially when I rank things. That's how I do it too. I'm thinking about, like, craft plus my reading experience.

Shannon Malone (28:34)

Yeah. And I mean, again, readers, all of this is highly subjective.

Anne Bogle (28:38)

Highly subjective.

Shannon Malone (28:40)

But, you know, it's fun to me, you know, and I always mess myself up because my first book that I read every year is from the Monk and Robot series with Becky Chambers. Either A Psalm for the Wild Built and A Prayer for the Crown Shy. And they're always gonna be like, number one. So now I'm looking at two, three. Like two or three in the fiction category. Nothing has knocked that off yet in three, three, or four years.

Anne Bogle (29:05)

So you are the boss of your reading life.

Shannon Malone (29:08)

Exactly.

Anne Bogle (29:08)

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Shannon Malone (31:52)

We had investigated where the mid year freakout came and it came from a couple of people, Ellie and Cammie. I believe in 2012, as early as 2012 we just started doing this for the past. I think I've started doing it for the past three or four years and it is so much fun. I love these questions because Ann, as she kind of stated earlier, when you're answering these questions readers. It is. It gives you a different way to think about your reading life in a way you may not have noticed before. And so I faithfully do these every year, and I'm glad that I get to hear what your answers are. Ann. So there are 10 questions.

Anne Bogle (32:34)

Yes, and we've been talking about them since our podcast guest Courtney Wallace brought them to us in 2020.

Shannon Malone (32:39)

Yeah, that is true. That is true. That might have been where I officially heard about them, but the. The hashtag or whatever has been in effect, I believe, since 2012. Okay, Ann, we have 10 questions. I'm going to ask them.

Anne Bogle (32:56)

Is this the part where I promise real short answers and then talk for 45 minutes? No, I'm not going to. It's going to be quick, Quick, quick, quick.

Shannon Malone (33:02)

You take as long as you need, Ann. All right, question number one. Best book you've read so far. And you pointed out that this, this question can point you in the direction of what really interests you and what you're liking right now. And I find it really helpful to look at the top five selections to get that direction. But what's the best book you've read so far?

Anne Bogle (33:28)

Ooh, well, to make it easy on myself and maybe to give a little variety, I completely disregarded Summer Reading Guide and Spring book preview titles to answer this question. And so I chose the History of Sound by Ben Shattuck for fiction, which I loved because, I mean, you've heard me talk about surprise and delight. I think our superlative reading experiences often have this element of like, ooh, I didn't know you could do that. I didn't know I'd enjoy that. I didn't know I was looking for that. That's not what I expected. These are interlinked short stories, all set on the island of Nantucket that I listen to on audio. And it was surprising and delightful and smart and evocative, and I just really enjoyed it. Nonfiction A book I've been meaning to read for a few years that I revisited after the summer reading guide when I want to go back to the old stuff, the stuff I've been meaning to read. Sarah Pauley's memoir, Essays Run towards the Danger on Audio. Knocked my socks off. Write book right time you told me.

Shannon Malone (34:31)

About that, and I have that on my TBR to check out.

Anne Bogle (34:36)

It sounds like it would nestle up real well with a bunch of other books you've thoroughly enjoyed.

Shannon Malone (34:42)

Yeah.

Anne Bogle (34:43)

Okay. What about you? Best book you've read so far?

Shannon Malone (34:46)

I'm going to give a fiction and nonfiction selection because Squeeze them in, Shannon. Yes, the first is the River Has Roots by Amol El Mohtar.

Anne Bogle (34:56)

Spring book preview.

Shannon Malone (34:57)

Yes, it's currently still sitting at the top of my Apple note. I read it after the spring book preview, and like you mentioned, and I discussed it in the Reading intention bonus on Patreon, she talks about using grammar as a almost like a character in the book, and I find that so fascinating. It's a novella. Very quick read, but great. It's still the best thing I've read in fiction so far. And in nonfiction, I had the honor of getting an arc for all the Way to the river, which is the memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray Love fame. And that's the best thing I've read in nonfiction.

Anne Bogle (35:40)

How many times you read that one, Shannon?

Shannon Malone (35:46)

Sections of it. Two or three times. Yeah. Maybe four.

Anne Bogle (35:49)

It's possible. We've talked about this before, y'.

Shannon Malone (35:51)

All. All right, Anne, question number two. Best sequel you've read so far.

Anne Bogle (35:58)

Oh, is one I didn't know I wanted to. The new coming this fall, Lily King called Heart the Lover. It's a follow up to writers and lovers.

Shannon Malone (36:09)

Okay. Readers, you are just hearing me discover that there's a book coming out in real time that I did not know about. And I am literally writing it down right now.

Anne Bogle (36:20)

Fall book preview. We're gonna talk about it.

Shannon Malone (36:22)

I loved Writers and Lovers so much. So, yes. So excited to hear about this, Shannon.

Anne Bogle (36:30)

Best sequel you've read so far, Can.

Shannon Malone (36:32)

I say, all the way to the river.

Anne Bogle (36:34)

Yeah. Make your case. I mean, this is a debate class. Yes. Tell us more.

Shannon Malone (36:40)

I really, really feel that it is a great follow up for Eat Pray Love.

Anne Bogle (36:45)

I mean, can I say I've never read that one?

Shannon Malone (36:49)

Oh, well, you know, it was on my original selections of books I really liked in my original. What should I read next episode? Inaugural episode. And I read all the Way to the river. And now I'm reading Eat Pray Love again. And, oh, I know they're not meant to be sequels or anything like that, but I really feel like they're speaking to each other in some really meaningful ways, and I'm excited to continue to read and explore that.

Anne Bogle (37:19)

That's fascinating.

Shannon Malone (37:21)

I will say. In the fiction realm, Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz, which is the third book in the Susan Ryland series. I really did enjoy that as well, because I love Susan Ryland and I love Anthony Horowitz. So yay.

Anne Bogle (37:34)

I'm really looking forward to reading that one.

Shannon Malone (37:36)

All right, question number three. New release. You haven't Read yet, but want to.

Anne Bogle (37:41)

Ooh, okay. Not a recommendation because I can't even tell you what it's about. But these days by Lucy Caldwell because I get Andrea Griffiths newsletter. She was a what should I read Next? Podcast guest. She's the owner of Browser's bookshop and she mentioned in her newsletter, mostly books, that she was reading it. And I thought, hmm, this sounds good for me. And I said, andrea, do you think I'd like this? And she said, yes, Ann, I think you would. So therefore, I'm looking forward to reading this. It wasn't on my radar for spring summer reading. Summer reading guide, none of that. So new to me and almost queued up on my Libby.

Shannon Malone (38:18)

Awesome. I'm gonna have to say mine is Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Again, my 25 book is Constricting me in that way. Like, I can't. I'm not just jumping at everything, but I am excited to read that one. I love Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing style. I feel like I can just. Just watch her make sentences and I would be happy. So I am looking forward to reading it. I'm disappointed a little bit that it's not set in the world of Evelyn, Hugo and all of the last four or five books, but I kind of don't like change in general.

Anne Bogle (38:57)

Funny story. It's not a story. Will just finished Malibu Rising and enjoyed it very much.

Shannon Malone (39:04)

I love that one. So this one is not set in that world, in that universe. A little disappointed, but it's Taylor Jenkins Reid. I'm gonna read it. That's just how it goes.

Anne Bogle (39:15)

I look forward to hearing what you think.

Shannon Malone (39:17)

All right, question number four, Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

Anne Bogle (39:23)

Oh, gosh, I do not even know how to answer this. So every year I track like, potential summer reading guide and fall book preview titles a little bit differently. I seriously have like 140 fall releases listed in my journal. And then what I do is I put a little asterisk beside the ones I especially want to read, and there are too many of those now. So then I make a little post it note and I list 15 titles on it and I cross them off as I read it. But then I keep adding to it and then sometimes I start my most anticipated titles. I'm like, nah, this isn't actually what I was looking for. And then I yeah, I don't even know. But there's lots of good stuff.

Shannon Malone (39:57)

So much good stuff. I love that.

Anne Bogle (39:59)

What about you? Most anticipated for second half, 2025.

Shannon Malone (40:04)

I have to say, it's Katabasis by RF Kuang and Confession. I got it as an arc and I started reading this. But y', all, I am not as brilliant. I don't know how many of us are as brilliant as RF Kuang is in general. And my arc did not have footnotes. And I'm sorry, I need footnotes for this read. And I'm hoping, praying, hoping, praying that the publication version of it will have footnotes. Because if not, I need a professor to sit next to me as I'm reading Cadabasus. So I decided to wait until it's published to read it. So I'm going to say my other one that I'm also looking forward to is the Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow. Again, she's a must read author for me and her short story novella, which was an Amazon original that came out I think this year or late last year, the Night and the Butcherbird was amazing.

Anne Bogle (41:05)

Ooh, I haven't read that one.

Shannon Malone (41:07)

I love Alex Harrow's short stories. They are wonderful. Five stars. And I hear that that was kind of like a foray into this world that in her, you know, with Nights and I'm so excited.

Anne Bogle (41:25)

Well, I'm excited to hear what you think. Do I always say that I'm always excited to hear what you think about what you read.

Shannon Malone (41:31)

All right, question number four. Five. Biggest disappointment. Now, Ann, you said, or you have said that evaluating what doesn't work is often more informative than looking at what worked. And I have found that that is true in my experience. So do you have one for us?

Anne Bogle (41:49)

Oh yeah, that's true. But my disappointment is not insightful in that way. It's a real heartbreaker, though. I have a certain number of authors that I just kind of like poke around on the Internet and see what they're up to every so often. Like, hmm, I feel like it's about time for a new book from that favorite author of mine. Like, you know, I'm not. I want them to live their best life and make their best work. And I'm not like, antsy exactly, but I love their stuff and I want to know when more of it is going to come my way. So when I got an email that said there's a new book on the way from Maggie o'. Farrell. Oh, she is of my very favorites. Top five. Top three. Maybe the top it is.

Shannon Malone (42:30)

Definitely.

Anne Bogle (42:31)

And I was like, finally. And look, this is good news for a lot of people, but it was an itty bitty children's book. I think it Might even have been a picture book. It was not what I had hoped and dreamed of. And my heart just kind of sank, you know, I was okay. I was okay. But for a brief moment, I was. You know, there were angels singing, the clouds are parting. The new Maggie o' Farrell was descending. And, like. No. Whisked away.

Shannon Malone (43:04)

So sorry that happened to you. Yeah, I know.

Anne Bogle (43:06)

So, Maggie, we're waiting. We are waiting for you. I am waiting.

Shannon Malone (43:11)

I feel that way about Becky Chambers. Waiting, waiting, waiting, you know?

Anne Bogle (43:17)

All right, I think you might have taken a more straightforward approach to this question, Shannon.

Shannon Malone (43:21)

I did.

Anne Bogle (43:21)

What was your biggest disappointment?

Shannon Malone (43:23)

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman. Now, Laura Lippman is a. I have only read a couple of her books and they were very noir feeling to me, very atmospheric, like, wow. I felt. I mean, a couple. I believe both of them that I read were kind of set in, like, LA or New Mexico. And I felt like I was. And I could feel the heat and the grime off the LA streets, you know, it was all that Murder Takes a Vacation is not that. And I was a little disappointed not to say that it was not great. I will say I did that thing where I skipped to the end to find out what happened. And I'm like, okay, great, finished. But it wasn't what I was expecting. And that's on me. That's on me. I'm not familiar enough with her work to say that all of her stuff is this way. It's just the two I read were that way. So I was hoping this one was the COVID Probably should have told me that it wasn't going to be if I had been paying attention. Yeah. Just a little bit disappointed, but very nice. There's a murder, people have to solve it.

Anne Bogle (44:34)

But it wasn't like sepia toned vibes.

Shannon Malone (44:37)

Yeah, no, no, it wasn't that way. And that's what I thought I was getting it to and I wasn't. And again, that was on me because the COVID didn't give me that. You know, marketing did a good job, you know, with the COVID You know, what the COVID looks like is what you're gonna get.

Anne Bogle (44:55)

Well, Shannon, I'm sorry it wasn't what you expected.

Shannon Malone (44:59)

It's fine.

Anne Bogle (44:59)

Yeah.

Shannon Malone (45:00)

I mean, I do recommend it for anyone who's looking for a very interesting thriller. Mystery. Ish thriller with an older character, which sometimes they. We don't have a lot of.

Anne Bogle (45:10)

Yeah.

Shannon Malone (45:10)

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Shannon Malone (46:10)

All right, question number six. What is the biggest surprise this year?

Anne Bogle (46:16)

Ooh, okay, I'm going to go from the gut. Endling by Maria Riva, which was in the summer reading guide, just really fun, experimental what in the world is happening in this book? She starts telling this rather straightforward it's a little bit silly story about a research scientist studying the dying out species of snails in the Ukraine. Endling is the last known organism of a species just before it dies out. And she because it's much easier to get money volunteering as a potential bride in the Ukrainian mail order bride industry. I mean she does a series of bridal parties. She gets paid to dress up and attend and go on dates with men who come from all over the world to participate in this. She's like, have you ever done the paperwork to get an NGO grant? This is easier, believe me. Then things start going badly and Russia invades Ukraine and she's driving her research van through the everywhere. And then all of a sudden Maria Riva enters the novel and is having a convers with her editor. He's like, you know, the story's not going real well. And she's like, hmm, let me tell you some things. And then from there it just, it goes in a complete like I was slipping pages like what is happening? So it was weird and bold and experimental but not so far out there that I wasn't like throwing my hands up going, I just don't understand. I didn't quite understand but I wanted to. And Maria Riva was giving me enough to like stay with it and figure out what was going on and what is she Actually saying, and this was so much fun to talk about with other readers. And now I want to read everything she's ever written. It was a delight. Okay. Another kind of surprise was after discussing Sarah Waters, particularly Fingersmith, with Elise Brand show on the podcast, I thought, gosh, I love that book. It's been a long time. I want to read it again. Because I talked about it with her on the podcast. I remembered reading it and I. I got into the book and I was like, this isn't as familiar as I thought it would be. It's gotta come back to me. But long story short, I had not read that book. I enjoyed it so much. Meanwhile, like, the second track running in my brain was, I thought I'd read this. Why is this not coming back? This is so. I was constantly surprised by some substantial twists in this Dickensian Victorian heist novel. It was just a lot of fun. And not only was it unexpected to me, it was especially unexpected because I thought I knew it was going to happen. And so my own assumptions just allowed me to be blindsided in a way that was really fun.

Shannon Malone (49:06)

Nice.

Anne Bogle (49:06)

Okay, what about you? What was your biggest surprise? What has been your biggest surprise so far?

Shannon Malone (49:12)

I should not have been surprised because you told us all of this during the summer reading guide unboxing. But the physical education was really good.

Anne Bogle (49:19)

I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

Shannon Malone (49:21)

Yeah.

Anne Bogle (49:22)

And it does sound like you.

Shannon Malone (49:23)

It sounds. But it also sounds like that will be boring. But it wasn't. I enjoyed. I flew through it. It was so great. And, yeah, I was quite pleased with it. All right, question number seven, favorite new author, which can be because they debuted something new or it was new to you.

Anne Bogle (49:44)

New to me is Joan Silber. I have almost read her for years. I haven't yet. Often the way I find a favorite new author is I read something new and then go through their backlist. And that happens to me every year when I'm reading titles for, you know, our previews and guides. But this year I happened to read Improvement, which is, I don't know, seven years old, give or take a couple, give myself some margin for error. And I really enjoyed her style. And read her new one coming out this fall. We'll be talking about that later, and several more of her older ones. And just I've really enjoyed the experience. She writes family and relational dramas that are very compact, that rotate points of view, that all feel similarly structured, at least these ones I've already read. And yet every story just feels extremely unique in setting and perspective.

Shannon Malone (50:42)

Okay.

Anne Bogle (50:42)

It's been fun. I mean, it's been like a sometimes devastating kind of enjoyment. Okay, your turn. Favorite new author debut or New to youo Amalia Mohtar.

Shannon Malone (50:53)

I really love the River Has Roots, which released on March 4, and everyone is telling me I need to read her backlist selection this is How We Lose the Time War, and I'm gonna do that. Have you read this one, Anne?

Anne Bogle (51:07)

Yes, and we've talked about it on the podcast, both as a recommendation and it's been a guest favorite. Well, that one's co written and the vibes are different. So I'm really curious to hear, as we know, I always say, because it's true. I'm really curious to hear how they contrast for you. Or don't.

Shannon Malone (51:28)

They might contrast. I did hear that from one of my co workers and they were like, yeah, but you should read it. So very, very much looking forward to it. All right, Newest fictional crush and or favorite character. And this is just a fun question, y'. All. We're not taking this seriously by any stretch of the imagination, but it is kind of fun.

Anne Bogle (51:49)

Oh, my brain is breaking at trying to identify like a superlative from here. What about you? Do you have one?

Shannon Malone (51:56)

Well, it's kind of hilarious because I had Armad Gamache from Louise Penny one year and then I had another detective. Something's up with the detectives. But this time my newest fictional crush and or favorite character is not fictional or a character is an actual person. And that's a probably a problem. But you know, we kind of have these ideas of what we think we know people because we've read their stuff or, you know, interacted with them on social media to some way, but we don't really know them. So it is a real person. And I think I might have said this before, but I love Kristin Kish from Top Shelf. She was a contestant. Now she's the host. I'm reading her memoir that came out recently. So yeah, I think I might have a little girl crush.

Anne Bogle (52:53)

Love it. All right, Shannon, what's a book that made you. Oh, I almost skipped the hard stuff. What's the book that made you cry?

Shannon Malone (53:03)

Okay, Anne, this is your fault. How to Read a book by Monica Wood. I'm sorry, you mentioned how to Read a book by Monica Wood at last year's mid year check in and then it was selected for the book club and I did not think I would like it, but I started it. You said it was gorgeous and it was. I read it and I cried. I blame you for this.

Anne Bogle (53:33)

There's a review. I read it and I cried.

Shannon Malone (53:35)

I blame you. I also like the forthcoming memoir. It's not out yet by Jen Hatmaker, Awake A Memoir. There is some correlation to her experience. So as she's describing some things, not all of them, but some things, they really hit me. And I was crying as I was reading that. But another excellent memoir that's forthcoming. Okay, what about you?

Anne Bogle (54:01)

I have no idea.

Shannon Malone (54:02)

Okay.

Anne Bogle (54:03)

Like, I was reading through my reading journal and I don't know, but I'm positive because I often read in bed every night or on the couch that there have been moments where Will's been like, are you okay? This justice book is really sad. But going through my journal, I have absolutely no idea which ones those are. I want to pull out some ones from last year that I know made me cry. Like, same as it ever was, or loved and missed, but those were from 2024.

Shannon Malone (54:31)

All right, and the final question, book that made you happy.

Anne Bogle (54:37)

Oh, these Heathens by Mia Maya McKenzie from the Summer reading guide. It's actually in the minimalist guide, so you can look it up. On modern Mrs. Darcy. The protagonist, 17 year old small town Doris, who goes to big city Atlanta and meets famous people and encounters new things and has a boy who's after her. And just like, woo. Her world gets blown open in one weekend. And the way she recounted her own experience just like had me grinning.

Shannon Malone (55:07)

Awesome.

Anne Bogle (55:08)

And like, some stuff in that book is not easy, but my memory of reading it is just like sitting on the couch with Doris, just me grinning at her, like, turns of phrase and how she's like, woo. But I just didn't. All these things I didn't know. What would mama think? Yeah, Shannon, what book made you happy?

Shannon Malone (55:23)

The river has Roots. The ending, y'. All, the ending was so satisfying. I loved the ending. I was like, that is the perfect way to wrap this up.

Anne Bogle (55:37)

I love it.

Shannon Malone (55:38)

Yeah.

Anne Bogle (55:39)

If you had not cited that as your favorite fiction, we'd be revisiting that right now. Like, Shannon, are you sure? Are you sure? Because I'm sensing a pattern. All right, if y' all enjoy those questions, Shannon, tell us about the bonus episode. Wow. Bossy much? Anne, we don't get bossy on this podcast. It's fine. You're the boss. Except for ever so often.

Shannon Malone (56:02)

It's fine. You're the boss. We have a bonus episode on Patreon coming out this Friday where I ask these 10 questions to some of the members of our team. Y', all, it's. It's so Fun. We laugh. We've already recorded it, so I know what happened. We laughed our heads off. You will get some great recommendations and get to know our team a little bit better. So check it out over there.

Anne Bogle (56:27)

All right. Thank you. Thank you. Shannon, to close, I have two big or maybe small questions for you.

Shannon Malone (56:35)

Okay.

Anne Bogle (56:36)

Do you have any big intentions or hopes and dreams for the second half of the year?

Shannon Malone (56:44)

No.

Anne Bogle (56:49)

I don't think I do either. I mean, what did I say? We're gonna make a sticker. Trust your gut and read great books.

Shannon Malone (56:57)

Yeah.

Anne Bogle (56:58)

I want books that feel like grounded and well written, with depth, that are really absorbing, that feel right. For right now, I don't wanna feel like I'm on the treadmill. Like, same old, same old, but in the like, best, most satisfying way. That's what I want.

Shannon Malone (57:10)

Yes.

Anne Bogle (57:11)

Those are my small hopes and dreams.

Shannon Malone (57:13)

Yes. And that was your second question about small hopes.

Anne Bogle (57:16)

Yeah. If you don't have any big ones, what are your small ones?

Shannon Malone (57:18)

Yeah, yeah, the small ones is. So let's just keep going. Like I like I may not make it to 25, 5, 4 and 5 star reads, but so far this might be one of the happiest years I've had about my reading life and what I'm reading. And I just want that to keep going.

Anne Bogle (57:38)

I'm just sitting here smiling. I love that for you.

Shannon Malone (57:43)

Yeah, yeah.

Anne Bogle (57:44)

I look forward, I mean, to talking more about books real soon in this space. We have a couple episodes with, as our listeners call them, regular readers coming up and we're talking about books all the time in patreon and modern Mrs. Darcy book book Club. Shannon, thank you so much for joining us today.

Shannon Malone (58:05)

Thank you again for having me.

Anne Bogle (58:11)

Readers, thank you for listening in. I hope you enjoyed our conversation and if you are inspired or have already done your own mid year reading check in. We would love to hear what you discovered, what stood out, what your superlatives are. We know that not everyone has as hard of time with superlatives as some people do. So you can always leave a comment on our show notes page. That's at what should I read next? Podcast.com and tell us what you think, what you're interested in, what you're reading, what you're planning, if you have big or small hopes, dreams and or intentions, we would love to hear.

Shannon Malone (58:44)

I'd actually also like to hear if anyone has a new crush. Fictional or favorite character? Character. That's my favorite question to get everyone to answer.

Anne Bogle (58:55)

Yeah, I'm, yeah, I'm like, I have no idea but some of you are yelling the answer at your phone and if that's you we want to hear. That's also where we always list every single book we talk about. So if you're driving or just, you know, we, we got you covered. That's all at what Should I read next podcast.com and if you're not on our email list, sign up so you know know the important things like when we make that button. I'm totally kidding. We don't really plan to, unless you want us to tell us that in comments as well. But we are doing a little bit of new merch for fall, so these questions will be on the table at team meetings. But to get all the news from what Should I read next HQ, sign up at what should I read next podcast.com newsletter and you will find out about our important announcements and timely book news and new episodes of this show. Follow along or subscribe on your favorite podcast player. Whether that's overcast, that's mine. Shannon, what's yours? Apple Apple Podcast. That's the biggest Spotify Pocket Cast. Wherever you get your podcasts, when you subscribe and especially download each new episode, that matters so much to us. I know a lot of you tell us we don't know how podcasting works. Our network is paying attention to how many people subscribe, how many people download, how many people actually listen to the episodes. And that's a quick, easy and free way to show your support for our show. It truly makes a difference. We're on Instagram at what Should I Read Next? Please tag us in your mid year check in posts and stories we would love to hear. If you love the show, tell your friends on social media. That would mean the world to us. Thanks to the people who make the show happen. Thank you to my guest book recommender and talker Shannon Malone. Today and every week. What Should I Read Next? Is created by Will Bogle, Holly Wilkachevsky and Studio D Podcast Production readers. That's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening and as Rainer Maria Rocha said, ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading. Happy reading everyone.