What Should I Read Next? Ep 491: Our Team’s Best Books of Summer (Part 2)

Host: Anne Bogel
Guests/Team: Will Bogle, Ginger Horton, Lee Kramer, Holly Wilkachevsky
Date: August 26, 2025

Overview

This episode is the second part of the show’s annual “Best Books of Summer” episodes, where members of the What Should I Read Next? team pair up to discuss their unique summer reading experiences and share standout favorite reads. With a broad range of tastes from romance to outdoor adventure, sci-fi to narrative nonfiction, each team member discusses the books that made their summer exceptional.

Key Discussions & Insights

1. Will Bogle & Ginger Horton: Deep Reads and Surprises

(Segment starts: 05:08)

Summer Reading Habits

• Ginger shares her summer reading “formula”—balancing reading formats (print/audio/Kindle) to maximize time, leading to her best summer of reading yet.
  • “When I’ve got the right formula matched with the right book, I feel like I’m reading more because I’m finding little pockets of time that I didn’t used previously.” —Ginger [07:02]
• Will notes a slower pace this summer due to fewer vacations but acknowledges even a lower tally feels satisfying.

Ginger’s Best Book of Summer

• The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk (1951)
  • Pulitizer-winning Navy classic, recommended by her husband, a naval officer.
  • Ginger was surprised by how compelling and modern it felt, moving beyond her expectations of a “dry” classic.
  • She highlights how the book’s courtroom drama and questions of war, authority, and human nature made it truly unputdownable.
  • “Just because a book is long or old or famous, I am so often guilty of thinking that that means it’s boring. It is not boring. This was fantastic.” —Ginger [11:35]
  • “I was not expecting to talk about this as the best book this summer.” —Ginger [13:48]

Will’s Best Book of Summer

• Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2022)
  • An ensemble family drama set in 1980s Malibu.
  • Will admired the “forged family” dynamics, non-traditional structure (told via timeline of a single day), and reflections on fame.
  • He listened due to a recommendation from his hairstylist, showing how unexpected sources can spark great reads.
  • “It definitely felt like forged family…they come into their own and people start to realize ‘Oh, well, you are related to this guy,’ and they’re like, ‘Well, yeah, kind of, but I haven’t seen him in however many years.’” —Will [16:16]
  • Ginger added it “aged better in my mind” and admitted wishing she’d read it in print, not audio.

Runner-Ups

• Everest, Inc. by Will Cockrell - Ginger’s Pick

  • Deep dive into the commercialization and cultural shifts of Everest climbing, with attention to modern “influencer” climbers like Nims Purja.
  • Ginger loves reading about outdoor adventures despite self-described “indoor” lifestyle.
  • “My nonfiction list often reads like an outdoor magazine best of list, but my life, life does not. I love the great indoors…But I cannot get enough about reading about nature adventures.” —Ginger [19:14]
  • Discovery via local bookstore browsing—a plug to shop indie and browse shelves.

• Custodians of Wonder by Elliot Stein - Will’s Pick

  • Nonfiction collection of cultural stories and traditions at risk of being lost—rare pasta, Incan bridge building, “telling the bees.”
  • “There’s the story about the pasta. There’s the last Incan bridge builder…fascinating stories about different cultures and what’s happening there. But he’s talking about the custodians of wonder. These are the things that are like we’re at risk of losing.” —Will [23:13]
  • Ginger inspired Will to pick it up; she confesses to buying it but not yet reading.

2. Lee Kramer & Holly Wilkachevsky: A Genre-Spanning Summer

(Segment starts: 28:15)

Comparing Reading Years

• Both Lee and Holly had better reading summers than 2024, finding more engaging books and time for reading.
  • "Last year I was desperately trying to figure out what I can talk about.” —Lee [29:10]
  • “This time I actually have a few options.” —Holly [29:22]

Holly’s Top Picks

• We Lived on the Horizon by Erica Swiler (Speculative fiction, 2025)
  • Post-apocalyptic city shaped by sacrifice, social stratification, and AI embodiment.
  • Features mature protagonist and nuanced AI themes reminiscent of “Frankenstein”.
  • “Over the course of this novel, Nyx has taken shape under Anita’s surgical and scientific talents, from being a house AI…to becoming an embodied humanoid being. Watching their evolution is fascinating.” —Holly [31:11]
  • Points for questioning privilege, class, and the complexities of invention and love.

• The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasai (Sci-fi heist, June 2024)

  • “Indiana Jones in space”; multiple factions chasing an archaeological relic.
  • Nuanced motives—unlike typical clear-cut heroes/villains.
  • Features memorable comic relief (“Today is not the day you die. Today is the day for happiness. Later, there will be more time for stress.”) —Holly [34:19]
  • Holly describes it as a “romp” with both laughter and touching moments.

• 30 Below by Cassidy Randall (Narrative nonfiction, March 2025)

  • True story of the first all-women’s climb of Denali amid societal barriers.
  • Holly recommends for fans of adventure, feminist history, and overcoming odds.
  • “Such a great story that has never been told before.” —Holly [37:33]

Lee’s Top Picks

• Our Infinite Fates by Laura Stevens (Fantasy)

  • Two people destined to kill each other in every reincarnation, manifesting in various lifetimes and forms.
  • Blend of mystery, lush prose, philosophical questions about souls and cycles.
  • “Regardless of how they present, they always know each other’s souls and are drawn to each other.” —Lee [32:10]
  • Lee loved the writing, story depth, and anticipation for the author’s next work.

• Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson (Romance)

  • Second-chance romance between former bandmates reuniting for a cruise gig.
  • Embodied characters, great emotional depth, and “open door” romance.
  • Lee wishes the fictional band’s music was real.
  • “I felt like Micah and John and the crew were real people and I really wish that I could listen to their music.” —Lee [36:09]

• So Easy, So Good by Kylie Sakaida (Cookbook)

  • Practical, approachable recipes, with an emphasis on substitutions and tips.
  • Great for quick lunches, bowls, and sheet pan meals.
  • Discovered after following Sakaida on Instagram.

Notable Quotes

• "Just because a book is long or old or famous, I am so often guilty of thinking that that means it’s boring. It is not boring. This was fantastic.” —Ginger [11:35]
• “It definitely felt like forged family...their circumstances were just definitely not idyllic, but not normal.” —Will [16:16]
• “My nonfiction list often reads like an outdoor magazine best of list, but my life, life does not. I love the great indoors.” —Ginger [19:14]
• “Today is not the day you die. Today is the day for happiness. Later, there will be more time for stress.” —Holly [34:19, from The Stardust Grail]
• “I felt like Micah and John and the crew were real people and I really wish that I could listen to their music.” —Lee [36:09]

Memorable Moments & Summing Up

• Ginger and Will swapping discoveries and the joy of finally reading a long-avoided classic.
• The intersection of reading lives with actual lives: Ginger loves mountaineering books but hates camping; Will discovers great nonfiction via Ginger’s TBR.
• Holly and Lee’s excitement at having a plethora of good reads this summer, highlighting the reward of perseverance for better reading seasons.

Important Timestamps

• [05:08] Will & Ginger segment begins
• [10:13] Ginger reviews The Caine Mutiny
• [14:01] Will reviews Malibu Rising
• [18:24] Everest Inc. and “mountain nonfiction” discussion
• [21:32] Custodians of Wonder discussion
• [28:15] Lee & Holly segment begins
• [31:36] We Lived on the Horizon discussed
• [31:45] Our Infinite Fates discussed
• [33:19] Stardust Grail discussed
• [35:01] Never Been Shipped discussed
• [37:19] 30 Below discussed
• [37:51] So Easy, So Good discussed

Books Mentioned

Fiction

• The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
• Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Our Infinite Fates by Laura Stevens
• We Lived on the Horizon by Erica Swiler
• The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasai
• Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson

Nonfiction

• Everest Inc. by Will Cockrell
• Custodians of Wonder by Elliot Stein
• 30 Below by Cassidy Randall

Cookbook

• So Easy, So Good by Kylie Sakaida

Tone & Style

Warm, conversational, encouraging, with a genuine and enthusiastic “reader-to-reader” vibe. The team offers equal parts insight, practical advice, and bookish camaraderie, with a bit of gentle humor about reading habits, abandoned TBRs, and surprise finds.

Takeaway

This episode is a celebration of both beloved backlist titles and exciting new releases, the magic of finding just the right book for your mood or moment, and the joy of discovering unexpected bookish treasures by listening to fellow passionate readers.