Logo
    Search

    Popcorn in the Pages - Episode 4: A Christmas Carol

    enDecember 22, 2023

    About this Episode

    Welcome, readers. We are so excited to continue this new content from the creators of Currently Reading Podcast! This spin-off podcast series will tackle book to screen adaptations in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you’ve read the book and watched the film version before listening to the episode, because we don’t shy away from strong opinions OR from all the spoilers, unlike our regular episodes.

    Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped, but will still include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. These are affiliate links, so they kick back a small percentage to us if you buy through them, and help support the work we do on Currently Reading.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

    1:24 - Here’s the Setup

    2:50 - Previews:

    Book Name and release date. Sales info and awards.

    A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

    A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

    Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

    Movie name and release date. Box office and awards.

    A Muppet Christmas Carol on Disney Plus

    Spoken Word Grammy Nomination!

    7:35 - The Cutting Room:

    Pivotal Book scenes and how they translated to the screen.

    Hustle Bustle of the city

    Lines from the book

    Each of the three ghosts

    Final scene

    Anything left out that shouldn’t have been.

    Marley’s jaw

    Scrooge’s sister

    Belle’s life/missing song

    Ignorance and Want

    Dead man

    Alibaba during Scrooge’s childhood

    Columbian coffee commercial 

    Scrooge’s lines quoted back to him

    Casting and mis-casting

    “Played by Kermit”

    Scrooge - Michael Caine

    Ian McClellan?

    Richard Harris?

    Swapping Muppet roles

    Two Marleys

    Problematic elements.

    Classism versus other isms

    Body commentary

    Topper’s treatment of the girl he’s crushing on

    40:05 - Award Season:

    Worst and best parts of the adaptation.

    Bob Cratchit’s family

    Hillbilly horses

    Ghost of Christmas Past

    The giant raw turkey

    Musical numbers

    Fozziwig

    Worst and best actors.

    Tiny Tim

    Ghost of Christmas Past

    Michael Caine

    Waldorf and Statler

    Worst and best book characters.

    The Cratchit family

    Ebeneezer Scrooge

    Ghost of Christmas Present

    Fred

    51:43 - Book/Flick Energy:

    Book scored on a 5 star scale.

    Book on Goodreads

    George C. Scott version from 1984

    The Man Who Invented Christmas on Amazon Prime

    Movie scored on a 10 point scale.

    Movie on Rotten Tomatoes

    Jim Carrey - Christmas Carol on Netflix

    George C. Scott version from 1984

    56:51 - A Leftover Popcorn Kernel:

    What are your top 3 favorite Christmas carols?

    O, Holy Night

    Angels We Have Heard on High

    Strange Way to Save the World

    Carol of the Bells

    Do You Hear What I Hear - Whitney Houston

    Joy to the World - Mariah Carey

    If you had to pick a classic to adapt with muppets, which would you choose?

    Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

    Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    If you could travel in time, but only one direction, which would you choose?

    11/22/63 by Stephen King

    1:04:02 - End Credits

    The Color Purple by Alice Walker

    1985 film version with Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey (can stream on Max and rent most places)

    Connect With Us:

    Currently Reading | Kaytee | Meredith

    Shad is in the Bookish Friends FB Group (for our Patreon supporters)

    Our Website | Email Us

     

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Buy Some Merch

    Recent Episodes from Currently Reading

    Season 6, Episode 31: Puzzle Competitions + Kaytee and Meredith's Bookish Retreat

    Season 6, Episode 31: Puzzle Competitions + Kaytee and Meredith's Bookish Retreat

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: puzzle competitions and a new to Meredith podcast

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: a recap of Kaytee and Meredith’s annual CR get together

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    :10 Bite Size Intro

    2:33 - Currently Reading Patreon

    4:09 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    5:02 - Puzzle Board (Amazon link for something similar, the Aldi one does not have an online link)

    6:19 - Talking Scared podcast

    7:23 - Talking Scared Ep. 176

    8:43 - Our Current Reads

    8:53 - Love in Color by Bolu Babalola (Kaytee)

    10:35 - Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola

    12:19 - No Way Out by Cara Hunter (Meredith, DI Adam Foley #3)

    13:50 - Close to Home by Cara Hunter (Blackwell’s link)

    16:59 - Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (Kaytee)

    19:51 - Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

    22:00 - A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke (Meredith)

    23:51 - The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

    23:56 - The Nesting by C.J. Cooke

    24:06 - I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

    24:08 - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

    27:16 - I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong (Kaytee)

    27:26 - An Immense World by Ed Yong

    27:55 - Let Kaytee know if you have a copy of It’s Not Exactly Rocket Science by Ed Yong! 

    33:28 - The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett (Meredith)

    35:08 - The Appeal by Janice Hallett

    41:17 - Deep Dive: Kaytee and Meredith’s Bookish Retreat

    46:12 - The King’s English Bookshop

    48:12 - Brady @booksbybrady on Instagram

    49:00 - Currently Reading Patreon

    53:08 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    53:14 - I wish that we could visit every Indie Press List bookstore in person, or even every potential IPL bookstore. (Kaytee)

    54:53 - I co-sign a bookish friend’s wish for a movie theater, but make it silent reading with snacks. (Meredith, thanks Julie Myers for the wish!)

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March’s IPL comes to us from our Anchor store An Unlikely Story!

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Season 6, Episode 30: Roxanna and Mary Take Over + Tropes They Want To See More Of

    Season 6, Episode 30: Roxanna and Mary Take Over + Tropes They Want To See More Of

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Roxanna and Mary are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: teaching littles to read and a book press

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: tropes Roxanna and Mary want to see MORE of in their reading

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    2:09 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    2:25 - Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann

    4:02 - The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou by Eleni Kyriacou (Blackwell’s hardcover link, releases in paperback in the US October 8, 2024. If you want to wait for the paperback you can pre-order HERE)

    5:51 - Our Current Reads

    5:56 - Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (Mary)

    6:08 - Waterstone’s

    10:14 - The Undertaking of Heart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (Roxanna)

    11:02 - Under The Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

    14:12 - A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter (Mary)

    17:46 - Hello Stranger by Katherine Center (Roxanna)

    17:54 - Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

    21:20 - Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

    21:30 - How To Walk Away by Katherine Center

    23:16 - The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

    24:30 - @katherinecenter on Instagram

    24:36 - The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow (Mary, Amazon link)

    27:46 - It’s Easier Than You Think by Sylvia Boorstein (Roxanna)

    27:57 - Mary and Roxanna’s Top Ten Reads of 2023 episode

    33:52 - Deep Dive: Bookish Tropes We Want More Of

    36:30 - Small Change by Roan Parrish

    36:41 - Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes

    38:03 - Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh

    38:16 - Mary’s Instagram (Holiday Romance is under her “Books Vol. 6” highlight)

    39:54 - The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

    40:25 - Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

    42:58 - Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

    43:05 - Hench by Natalize Zina Walschots

    43:13 - Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

    44:17 - The Change by Kirsten Miller

    46:01 - The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

    47:01 - The Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White (Sinister Summer #1)

    47:07 - The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

    49:31 - Happily Ever Ninja by Penny Reid

    50:54 - Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather

    51:35 - Search by Michelle Huneven

    51:43 - In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden

    52:36 - Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

    52:38 - Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

    54:54 - The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso

    55:30 - Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark

    57:07 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    57:12 - I wish to motivate listeners to spend time with their physical TBR and plan reads or cull books. (Mary)

    59:35 - I wish to press Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski. (Roxanna)

    59:46 - Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

    1:02:18 - Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March’s IPL comes to us from our Anchor store An Unlikely Story!

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Season 6, Episode 29: Potty Adventures + All Things Bookish Villains

    Season 6, Episode 29: Potty Adventures + All Things Bookish Villains

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: bookish festival meetups and poop books for potty training

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: answering questions about our thoughts on bookish villains

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    2:56 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    3:13 - The Tucson Festival of Books

    Please RSVP to currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com if you’re going to come Saturday, March 9! 

    5:52 - Everybody Poops by Justine Avery

    5:58 - Potty by Leslie Patricelli

    6:17 - Poopasaurus by Plum Coconut (Amazon link)

    6:18 - Dino Potty by Sara Conway

    6:33 - P is for Potty by Naomi Kleinberg

    6:35 - The New Potty by Mercer Mayer (Amazon link)

    6:58 - It Hurts When I Poop! by Howard J. Bennett

    7:05 - Bunny’s Big Problem by Simone Majetich (Amazon link)

    7:37 - Poop There It Is by Little Hippo Books (Amazon link)

    10:08  - Our Current Reads

    10:22 - Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills (Kaytee)

    10:29 - The Novel Neighbor

    10:42 - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

    13:18 - The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (Meredith)

    15:25 - The Nowhere Bookshop

    17:34 - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

    16:36 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi

    19:05 - Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz

    20:25 - My Friend the Octopus by Lindsay Galvin (Kaytee, Blackwell’s UK link)

    23:23 - The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman (Meredith)

    29:24 - Libro.fm

    30:17 - Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina (Kaytee)

    30:24 - Capital Books on K

    32:02 - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson

    32:32 - Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina

    33:19 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara (Meredith)

    34:43 - Currently Reading Patreon

    34:50 - Fabled Bookshop

    36:55 - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

    36:57 - Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips

    37:23 - All Things Bookish Villains

    40:25 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara

    42:02 - East of Eden by John Steinbeck

    42:56 - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

    43:42 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

    44:31 - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

    45:06 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

    45:08 - The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein

    45:24 - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

    48:12 - A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny

    48:58 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

    50:21 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

    51:00 - Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

    51:38 - Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

    53:11 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

    54:12 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    54:20 - I wish to press How the Word Is Passed by Cint Smith into listeners’ hands. (Kaytee)

    54:21 - How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith

    56:03 - I wish listeners would stop using the Patreon app to listen to our content and add patreon to wherever they listen to other podcasts. (Meredith)

    57:02 - Check our Instagram @currentlyreadingpodcast for the video instructions to add Patreon to your podcast feed.

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February’s IPL is brought to you by Booktenders in Huntington, West Virginia.

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Popcorn in the Pages - Episode 5: The Color Purple

    Popcorn in the Pages - Episode 5: The Color Purple

    Welcome, readers. We are so excited to continue this new content from the creators of Currently Reading Podcast! This spin-off podcast series will tackle book to screen adaptations in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you’ve read the book and watched the film version before listening to the episode, because we don’t shy away from strong opinions OR from all the spoilers, unlike our regular episodes.

    Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped, but will still include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. These are affiliate links, so they kick back a small percentage to us if you buy through them, and help support the work we do on Currently Reading.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    The Color Purple by Alice Walker

    Content warning for listeners and young listeners for this episode!

    1:28 - Here’s the Setup

    3:41 - Previews

    Book Name and release date. Sales info and awards.

    The Color Purple by Alice Walker

    Movie name and release date. Box office and awards.

    The Color Purple (1985)

    The Color Purple (2023)

    7:34 - The Cutting Room

    Pivotal Book scenes and how they translated to the screen.

    Sisters being separated

    Celie first showing up at Mister’s house

    Setting up the story

    Anything left out that shouldn’t have been.

    African continent

    Celie and Shug’s relationship

    Shug’s life events

    Voiceover narration

    Setting on the coast of Georgia

    Celie’s discovery of herself

    Mister’s redemption arc

    Casting and mis-casting

    Directors

    Harpo

    Shug

    Mister

    Problematic elements.

    Continuity issues: dock and boat access to juke joint

    Sophia having a potential traumatic brain injury?

    Mailbox focus

    42:52 - Award Season

    Worst and best parts of the adaptation.

    Mister’s redemption arc

    Shug’s redemption arc

    Shug singing down the choir

    Title line incorporation

    Shug singing at the juke joint

    The Fancy Pants song (“I’m so Pretty” from West Side Story)

    Worst and best actors.

    The Mailbox

    Squeak/H.E.R.

    Adult Nettie/Ciara

    Celie/Whoopie

    Sophia/Oprah

    Mister/Danny Glover

    Celie/Fantasia Barrino

    Sophia/Danielle Brooks

    Young Celie & Young Nettie

    Worst and best book characters.

    Ol’ Mister

    Mister

    Shug

    The Three Musketeers: Shug/Sophia/Nettie

    56:40 - Book/Flick Energy

    Book scored on a 5 star scale.

    Book on Goodreads

    Movie scored on a 10 point scale.

    Movie on Rotten Tomatoes - 1985

    Movie on Rotten Tomatoes - 2023

    1:02:25 - A Leftover Popcorn Kernel

    Which of the movies that we’ve already reviewed would you most like to see as a musical?

    Jurassic Park by Michael Chricton - Popcorn Episode

    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Popcorn Episode

    Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - Popcorn Episode

    The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

    If you were to cast yourself as one of these characters, which would you be?

    If you were sentenced to 12 years in prison, what would it be for?

    Murder

    Drinking and driving

    1:05:46 - End Credits

    The Dry by Jane Harper

    Available for rent (we’re using the library!)

    Connect With Us

    Currently Reading | Kaytee | Meredith

    Shad is in the Bookish Friends FB Group (for our Patreon supporters)

    Our Website | Email Us

    Support Us

    Become a Bookish Friend | Buy Some Merch

    Season 6, Episode 28: Book to Film Excitement + Boss My TBR

    Season 6, Episode 28: Book to Film Excitement + Boss My TBR

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: bossing our friends' TBRs an exciting look at a book to film preview

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: bossing two listeners’ TBRs

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    1:35 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    2:07 - The Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

    5:42  - Our Current Reads

    6:01 - The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (Meredith)

    10:53 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver (Kaytee)

    SKIP TO 16:30 IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO LISTEN TO THIS SETUP

    13:52 - Storygraph

    13:54 - Reel by Ezeekat about trigger warnings of Butcher & Blackbird

    16:48 - Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death by M.C. Beaton (Meredith)

    21:26 - The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

    22:25 - Landlines by Raynor Winn (Kaytee, Blackwell’s UK link)

    22:30 - A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

    23:42 - The Salt Path by Raynor Winn 

    27:00 - Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford (Meredith)

    28:18 - Fabled Bookshop

    28:20 - @wacoreads on Instagram

    29:04 - The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

    31:19 - All About Love by Bell Hooks (Kaytee)

    33:48 - Deep Dive: Boss My TBR

    From Wendy T.

    34:25 - The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

    34:28 - The City We Became by N.K. Jemison

    34:31 - The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

    34:34 - The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

    34:37 - House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

    37:10 - @birdbrainbooks on Instagram

    37:18 - The Hearts and Daggers Pod on Instagram

    From Sarah O.

    41:03 - Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

    41:06 - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

    41:08 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

    41:11 - Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert

    41:14 - Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

    43:31 - Babel by R.F. Kuang

    46:47 - Scythe by Neal Shusterman (a follow up from a previous Boss My TBR they loved!)

    47:09 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    47:26 - Cabin in the Woods by Sarah Alderson

    48:26 - I wish to see more blurbs from Netgalley readers on books instead of author blurbs. (Meredith)

    50:18 - I wish it were easier to find fandom recommended reading order for authors with series that are within the same universe. (Kaytee)

    52:44 - @birdbrainbooks on Instagram

    53:08 - The Hearts and Daggers Pod on Instagram

    53:27 - Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February’s IPL is brought to you by Booktenders in Huntington, West Virginia.

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Season 6, Episode 27: Meredith Meeting Authors + Tropes We Are Tired Of Reading

    Season 6, Episode 27: Meredith Meeting Authors + Tropes We Are Tired Of Reading

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: even more bookshelves and Meredith potentially meeting authors

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: tropes we are tired of reading

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    1:32 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    3:46 - Laundry Love by Patrick Richardson

    4:11 - Ikea Ivar System (Kaytee mixed and matched as needed/wanted)

    5:09 - Hamptons Whodunit

    8:25  - Our Current Reads

    8:36 - The Kingdom Over the Sea by Zohra Nabi (Kaytee)

    8:42 - Foyles UK

    10:02 - The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty

    10:05 - The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

    10:07 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

    11:15 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

    11:46 - The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews (Meredith)

    15:59 - The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

    16:37 - The Morning Show Murders by Al Roker (Kaytee)

    16:49 - Libro.fm

    20:01 - While Idaho Slept by J. Reuben Appelman (Meredith)

    26:14 - Soil by Camille T. Dungy (Kaytee)

    29:35 - The Cabin in the Woods by Sarah Alderson (Meredith)

    33:29 - Deep Dive: Tropes We Are Tired Of Reading

    34:23 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

    49:14 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    49:20 - I wish to give all our listeners a heads up about Booktenders, the indie bookstore. (Kaytee)

    49:20 - @Booktenderswv on Instagram

    51:26 - I wish we would get more content around books besides JUST a blurb and a tour - for example, a book trailer. (Meredith)

    52:31 - @birdbrainbooks on Instagram 

    52:38 - @heartsanddaggerspod on Instagram

    54:04 - The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February’s IPL is brought to you by Booktenders in Huntington, West Virginia.

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Season 6, Episode 26: Patreon Free Trials + Bookish Friends’ Best and Worst Books of 2023

    Season 6, Episode 26: Patreon Free Trials + Bookish Friends’ Best and Worst Books of 2023

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: bookish pre-orders and picking the right books for ourselves

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: Bookish Friends’ best and worst books of 2023, with interesting overlaps!

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    2:19 - Currently Reading Patreon (sign up for a 7 day free trial and check out all the goodness!)

    7:42 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    10:57 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (pre-order, releases June 11, 2024)

    11:01 - Long Bright River by Liz Moore

    12:51 - Fabled Bookshop

    14:29  - Our Current Reads

    14:42 - The Elephants of Thula Thula by Francoise Malby-Anthony (Kaytee)

    15:09 - The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence

    18:04 - The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent (Meredith)

    20:32 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

    20:35 - Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

    24:12 - Erasure by Percival Everett (Kaytee)

    29:48 - The Trees by Percival Everett

    30:42 - What the Dead Know by Barbara Butcher (Meredith)

    35:28 - The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein

    36:51 - Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis (Kaytee)

    36:56 - The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

    40:38 - The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger (Meredith)

    45:31 - This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

    46:11 - Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger 

    46:20 - Ordinary Grace by Willam Kent Krueger

    46:42 - Deep Dive: Bookish Friends’ Best and Worst Reads of 2023

    46:51 - Currently Reading Patreon

    50:35 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (#1 best AND worst read)

    51:25 - Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (#5 favorite)

    51:28 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (#4 favorite)

    51:32 - Hello Beautiful by Anne Napolitano (#3 favorite)

    51:36 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (#2 favorite)

    51:49 - The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (#5 least favorite) 

    51:54 - Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson (tied #3 least favorite)

    51:56 - Happy Place by Emily Henry (tied #3 least favorite)

    51:59 - I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai (#2 least favorite)

    52:23 - Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

    52:46 - Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

    53:46 - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

    53:47 - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

    54:39 - Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

    54:46 - Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

    57:58 - The Whispers by Ashley Audrain

    59:05 - The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin

    59:17 - Sarah’s Bookshelves Interview with Lara Love Hardin

    1:01:37 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    1:01:45 - I wish for  more duologies in the bookish universe. (Kaytee)

    1:02:12 - The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

    1:02:45 - I want those who love mysteries, thriller and horror to follow @mother.horror on Instagram (Meredith)

    1:03:34 - Mother Horror Patreon

    1:03:51 - Near the Bone by Christina Henry

    1:04:09 - The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February’s IPL is brought to you by Booktenders in Huntington, West Virginia.

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Season 6, Episode 25: Knox and Jamies Top 5 Reads of 2023!

    Season 6, Episode 25: Knox and Jamies Top 5 Reads of 2023!

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee may have died and come back to life after recording this week. They are joined by none other than Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden of the Popcast! They are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: reading clickers and reading to our kiddos

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: Knox and Jamie’s top 5 books of 2023, plus each guest brought their favorite reading experience

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    1:11 - The Popcast

    3:21 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    3:39 - Tiktok scrolling ring

    4:05 - Kindle remote clicker

    7:53 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

    9:32 - Unhinged by Vera Valentine

    10:20 - Fabled Bookshop

    10:26 - Cold People by Tom Rob Smith

    11:56 - Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

    13:35 - Persuasion by Jane Austen

    13:44  - Our Current Reads

    14:07 - Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (Jamie)

    14:15 - Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

    16:11 - Slow Horses by Mick Herron

    16:47 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Knox)

    19:19 - Warcross by Marie Lu (Kaytee)

    19:31 - What Should I Read Next Podcast 

    20:13 - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

    20:15 - Slay by Brittney Morris

    20:16 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

    21:50 - Wildcard by Marie Lu

    22:34 - The Future by Naomi Alderman (Meredith)

    23:53 - The Power by Naomi Alderman

    27:52 - The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier

    28:11 - Deep Dive: Knox and Jamie’s Top 5 Books of 2023

    28:42 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

    28:44 - Congratulations! The Best is Over by R. Eric Thomas

    28:49 - The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab

    28:56 - The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

    29:38 - The Road of Bones by Demi Winters (Jamie #5)

    32:23 - Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati (Knox #5)

    32:41- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 

    34:16 - All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore (Jamie #4)

    37:39 - The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen (Knox #4)

    39:48 - The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers

    40:16 - Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being In Love by isthisselfcare (Jamie #3)

    42:14 - Archive of Our Own

    42:16 - Fanfiction.net

    43:29 - All The Young Dudes by MsKingBean89

    44:43 - Traffic by Ben Smith (Knox #3)

    46:24 - Drowning by T.J. Newman (Jamie #2)

    46:35 - Falling by T.J. Newman

    49:04 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Knox #2)

    52:07 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (Jamie #1)

    56:14 - Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan (Knox #1)

    59:16 - Knox and Jamie’s Favorite Reading Experiences of 2023

    1:00:43 - Hot and Bothered by Jancee Dunn (Jamie)

    1:04:37 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi (Knox)

    1:06:00 - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

    1:06:22 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    1:07:08 - I wish more of us would print our book covers to keep in a book to reflect on. (Jamie)

    1:07:10 - Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer

    1:09:46 - Mother Horror on Instagram

    1:10:32 - I want to press two books into the hands of listeners (Knox)

    1:11:08 - We Are the Light by Matthew Quick (specifically for dudes, touches on masculinity without being bro-ish)

    1:11:32 - Open Throat by Henry Hoke (specifically for writers)

    1:13:35 - I would like to read the same book, but with a different take - with more humor and snark (Kaytee)

    1:13:38 - Monsters by Claire Dederer

    1:16:49 - I wish everyone would listen to the Popcast (Meredith)

    1:16:56 - The Popcast

    1:17:28 - The Popcast on Instagram

    1:18:34 - The Popcast Patreon

    1:20:46 - @KnoxMccoy on Instagram

    1:20:48 - @Jamiebgolden on Instagram

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January’s IPL is brought to you by our anchor store, Fabled Bookshop in Waco, TX.

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Season 6, Episode 24: Read Alouds + The Evolution of Roxanna's Reading Life

    Season 6, Episode 24: Read Alouds + The Evolution of Roxanna's Reading Life

    On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Roxanna are discussing:

    • Bookish Moments: reading aloud to our kiddos and bookish Legos

    • Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately

    • Deep Dive: How Roxanna has evolved to read more sci-fi, fantasy and romance

    • The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    1:23 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week

    1:35 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

    1:59 - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo

    4:16 - Lego Hotel (Lego Bookshop is sold out on their website)

    6:39 - Our Current Reads

    6:43 - No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister (Roxanna)

    6:51 - House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister

    10:32 - Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan

    12:07 - The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella (Kaytee)

    12:14 - The Poisoned Pen

    12:42 - Alice’s Adventure In Wonderland by Lewis Caroll 

    14:10 - The Looking Glass Illusion by Sara Ella

    16:36 - Small Change by Roan Parrish (Roxanna, Amazon Link)

    17:54 - Happy Place by Emily Henry 

    21:53 - The Vacation by John Marrs (Kaytee)

    27:20 - The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (Roxanna)

    27:26 - CR Season 2, Episode 8

    30:38 - One Sunny Afternoon by Rowan Jette Knox (Kaytee)

    31:15 - Love Lives Here by Rowan Jette Knox

    32:56 - Know My Name by Chanel Miller 

    33:09 - Libro.fm

    34:06 - Deep Dive: Roxanna’s Evolution As A Reader

    34:15 - CR Season 3, Episode 5 (Roxanna’s first episode introduction)

    34:54 - Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

    37:49 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

    38:08 - Get Booked Podcast (no longer running but old episodes are available!)

    39:02 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

    41:11 - Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather

    44:44 - A Djinn in Cairo by P. Djeli Clark 

    43:58 - Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

    44:04 - City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

    48:26 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

    52:26 - Meet Us At The Fountain

    52:45 - I wish people would lean into whatever season they are in with their reading lives .(Roxanna)

    52:59 - A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

    53:07 - Burnout by Emily Nagoski

    53:13 - Wintering by Katherine May

    53:21 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

    53:23 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi

    53:53 - I wish to be read aloud to long after I age out of being read to. (Kaytee)

    54:14 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January’s IPL is brought to you by our anchor store, Fabled Bookshop in Waco, TX.

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

    Minisode: Our Show Regulars' Top 10 of 2023

    Minisode: Our Show Regulars' Top 10 of 2023

    We know you’ll be thrilled to hear from Mary and Roxanna again this weekend as you’ve been asking for their top 10 lists, and we’ve got them for you!

    Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)

    .

    .

    .

    .

    1:15 - 2023 Reading Review

    3:02 - CR Season 6, Episode 22 (Meredith and Kaytee’s top 10)

    5:26 - Currently Reading Patreon

    8:30 - Our Top Ten Reads of 2023

    8:43 - The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (Roxanna)

    10:05 - It’s Easier Than You Think by Sylvia Boorstein (Mary)

    12:35 - A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas (Roxanna)
    14:45 - Happy Place by Emily Henry (Mary)

    16:58 - Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather (Roxanna)

    20:49 - All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Murderbot #1)

    21:22 - The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson (Mary)

    21:33 - @Maryreadsandsips on Instagram

    23:32 - Small Change by Roan Parrish (Roxanna, Amazon link)

    25:48 - Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder (Mary)

    26:00 - Bodies are Cool by Tyler Feder

    27:17 - Malagash by Joey Comeau

    28:27 - The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Roxanna)

    30:42 - Starling House by Alix E. Harrow (Mary)

    31:51 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 

    32:34 - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Roxanna)

    33:57 - The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson (Mary)

    34:03 - Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Junon Dawson

    35:52 - CR Season 6, Episode 23

    36:39 - Essentialism by Greg Mckeown (Roxanna)

    39:03 - Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano (Mary)

    40:50 - The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

    42:13 - City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty (Roxanna #3, Daevabad Trilogy #1)

    42:15 - Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty

    42:17 - Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty

    44:30 - Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston (Mary #3)

    47:14 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Roxanna #2)

    48:37 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross (Mary #2)

    48:45 - CR Season 6, Episode 19 (Kaytee’s Divine Rivals setup episode)

    49:26 - Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

    50:49 - Search by Michelle Huneven (Roxanna #1)

    53:38 - After This by Claire Bidwell Smith (Mary #1, audiobook is the only way to purchase!)

    53:55 - CR Season 5, Episode 36 (Mary’s in depth discussion about After This)


    Support Us:

    Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch

    Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon

    Bookish Friends Receive:

    • The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January’s IPL comes to us from our anchor store, Fabled Bookshop.

    • Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry

    • All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller

    • The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts

    Connect With Us:

    The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads

    The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna

    Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!