Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: What Should I Read Next?
Episode: 498 – Books that Feel Like Your Favorite Comfort TV Shows
Host: Anne Bogel
Guest: Kayla King
Date: October 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Anne Bogel welcomes Kayla King, a lifelong reader and recent genre-expander, to explore the central question: "Can books offer the same cozy, comforting feelings as our favorite comfort TV shows?" Together, they navigate Kayla's reading past, her favorite TV shows, and the search for book recommendations that deliver warmth, humor, and immersive worlds—much like Friends, Parks and Rec, and Brooklyn 99 do on screen.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Getting to Know Kayla

• Kayla's Background ([05:39]):

  • Lives on a small dairy/hobby farm in Spartansburg, PA with her husband.
  • Works in food prep at “Your Daily Serving” and is a passionate holistic health practitioner.
  • Lifelong reader, recently branching out from mysteries, thrillers, sci-fi/fantasy to include romance, especially after enjoying Emily Henry's Happy Place.

• Reading History ([06:23]):

  • Early reader: "I taught myself to read around three or four years old."
  • Childhood favorites: Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden.
  • Recently adopted audiobooks to increase reading volume.

The Quest for Literary Comfort

• Comfort TV Shows ([08:29]):

  • Favorites: Friends, Parks and Rec.
  • Rotates through Office, Gilmore Girls, Brooklyn 99, Abbott Elementary, Psych, Modern Family, Only Murders in the Building.
  • Common thread: “They’re quirky, mostly ridiculous, they’re funny and they’re heartwarming. It’s rare for me to get through one of those shows without crying and laughing.” – Kayla ([08:46])

• Why Book Equivalents Matter ([09:27]):

  • Looks for alternatives to screen time, aware of “effects of blue light on our health.”
  • Wants engaging books that are as easy to reach for as the remote, and provide a lingering, thoughtful after-effect.
  • “I tend to think about the material that I read more than the material that I’ve watched.” – Kayla ([09:55])

• Getting Out of a Reading Slump ([10:34]):

  • E-reader/Kindle + Libby now help her read more and watch less TV—libby deadlines encourage more time with books.

Kayla’s Favorite Books & Her Tastes

Three Books She Loves

• Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer ([14:43]):

  • “It felt like The Princess Bride…Funny, quirky, mostly ridiculous.” – Kayla
  • Audiobook highly recommended.

• On Earth As It Is on Television by Emily Jane ([16:14]):

  • Sci-fi, alien invasion, “weird but so fun,” extremely quirky, and heartwarming.
  • “I could not wait to get through it…just really heartwarming.” – Kayla

• The Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown ([17:33]):

  • Represents Kayla’s love for immersive sci-fi/fantasy world-building and rich character casts.
  • Feels more like watching an epic saga, “like a Star Wars show or movie.”

Why Some Books Don’t Work

• The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley ([19:12]):
  • Couldn’t connect with characters or care about the resolution.
  • "I didn't care for the characters…sometimes like the quests in that book just felt like they were irrelevant or contrived." – Kayla ([19:32])
  • Kayla prefers stories that make her feel “at home in that world…like, I have a place.” ([20:39])
  • Not interested in “plotty puzzle box” mysteries that lack warmth or emotional connection.

Recent Reads She Loved ([23:16]):

• Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
  • “I sat in my bed and sobbed just over like one paragraph. I would probably call that a six star read for me.” ([23:34])
• Hello Stranger by Katherine Center ("so funny, completely tickled by it, very quirky")

Anne’s Literary Recommendations

1. The Wayfarers Series by Becky Chambers ([27:10])

• Warm, big-hearted, quirky space opera (“sprawling confederation populated by many different alien species”).
• “She wants to create worlds and futures that feel good for everybody.” – Anne ([28:25])
• “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” recommended as starting point.
• Focus is on love, community, and delight in a motley crew’s adventures.

2. Carl Hiaasen—Especially Middle Grade Books ([29:54])

• Satirical Florida-set crime novels that are “quirky, ridiculous, funny, engaging.”
• Middle grade titles (Hoot, Flush, Skink, Wrecker) are warmer and hit “zany, over the top, quirky, ridiculous, but also more of the warmth.”
• Kayla read Hoot as a child; might revisit for nostalgia and warmth.

3. Kevin Kwan’s Novels ([33:17])

• Crazy Rich Asians trilogy and Lies and Weddings: over-the-top wealthy settings, gossip, intrigue, humor, heartwarming protagonists.
• “Kevin Kwan’s writing is so cinematic…as someone who loves stories told in a visual medium, you get a lot of that here.” – Anne ([35:05])
• Ideal for readers who want to immerse in a lavish, wacky, fun world.

4. Small Town Romance - Kate Claiborne’s "Chance of a Lifetime" Series ([37:54])

• Features three young friends who win a modest lottery prize, with stories centered on ordinary happiness, friendship, romance, and quirky town life.

• “I think I’ve been through this series three times…hard things happen. And yet, it feels really good.” – Anne ([40:57])

• Starts with Beginner’s Luck; recommended for cozy, slice-of-life comfort.

• Kayla has already read and loved Sarah Adams’ When in Rome series; plans to read book 4 when it releases ([37:02]).

Standout Quotes & Moments

• Kayla on TV Comfort: “They’re quirky, mostly ridiculous, they’re funny and they’re heartwarming. It’s rare for me to get through one of those shows without crying and laughing.” ([08:46])
• On Emotional Impact of Books: “I sat in my bed and sobbed just over like one paragraph. I would probably call that a six star read for me.” – Kayla, on Wild Dark Shore ([23:34])
• On the 'World' of a Book: “Even in things like thrillers...I want to feel at home in that world. And, like, I have a place.” – Kayla ([20:39])
• Anne on Becky Chambers: “She wants to create worlds and futures that feel good for everybody.” ([28:25])
• Kayla on Kevin Kwan: “That sounds absolutely fascinating. It sounds like something you would get immersed in and just want to keep returning to, to find out what hijinks ensue there.” ([36:25])
• Anne on Kate Claiborne: “Hard things happen. And yet, it feels really good...there’s a scene in this book where the protagonist, Kit, and the guy she’s starting something up with are sitting on the couch watching Ina Garten’s Food Network show. … It brings me such joy.” ([40:57])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Kayla’s Introduction – [05:14]
• Kayla’s Favorite TV Shows – [08:29]
• Why She Wants Literary Comfort – [09:27]
• Recent Reading Life & Kindle – [10:34]
• Books Kayla Loves – [14:43]
• Book That Didn’t Work – [19:12]
• Craving for Welcome “Worlds” – [20:39]
• Anne’s Recommendations – [27:10] (Becky Chambers), [29:54] (Carl Hiaasen), [33:17] (Kevin Kwan), [37:54] (Kate Claiborne)
• Kayla’s Next Picks – [42:43]

Final Choices & Closing

• Kayla’s First Pick: The Wayfarers Series by Becky Chambers.
  “I think I’ll start with the Wayfarer series. I’ve been reading a lot of romance over the summer and so I think a little bit of break with a like a sci fi series would really like feel good going into the fall.” ([42:43])
• Second Pick: Kate Claiborne’s Chance of a Lifetime series.

Closing Thought:
Kayla seeks books that invite her into quirky, character-rich, and comforting worlds, akin to her favorite feel-good television. Anne offers diverse options spanning sci-fi, satire, romance, and small-town settings—all with warmth and heart.

Episode Takeaway

If you love comfort TV and want a book to provide that same blend of laughter, coziness, and connection, Kayla’s journey—and Anne’s thoughtful recommendations—will guide you to your next cozy read.