The Eclectic Reader

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chelsey.substack.comSomehow, in the midst of kid birthday parties and a Brewers World Series Championship and Halloween and election prep, I managed to read several great books in October. I can’t wait to share my reflections and reviews today, plus my top priority book selections for end-of-year reading.Upgrade your subscription to listen to the full episode: chelsey.substack.com

With Curtis being an avid Fantasy reader, and me being a big fan of Romance, you would think Romantasy would be a natural overlap for our reading tastes—but in today’s discussion you’ll hear why I tend to dip out of Romantasy while Curtis gets sucked in. We also share the book that got Curtis hooked on the genre, why we think Romantasy holds broad appeal, and which formats we prefer for reading Romantasy.Starting in November, Curtis will join me for quarterly “best books” episodes, in which we share the best books we read each season, how our reading habits are working for us (or not), and what books we would pair with our recent film or TV watches. To get these quarterly episodes in your podcast queue, upgrade your subscription. (I hope to use part of my Substack income to get us some nicer mics for higher quality audio recording side-by-side!)Upgrade with a discount or go to chelsey.substack.com to subscribe. $30 Annual Subscription (One Year) — This is a 40% discount for one full year.$40 Annual Subscription (Forever) — This is a 20% discount for, well, forever. Once you sign on at this rate, your subscription will automatically renew at $40 next year, and the next.Books mentioned* A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas* Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros* The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig* The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig* Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman* Quicksilver by Callie Heart* Brimstone by Callie Heart* Witch of the Wolves by Kaylee Archer* The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino* The Thief and the Traitor Bride by V.L. Bovalino* The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh* The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch* The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha SuriSome of these are Bookshop affiliate links. If you shop these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work in this way. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chelsey.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chelsey.substack.comHey, Readers! Thanks to Curtis’ new work from home schedule, we were able to record a podcast episode all about our favorite books at the halfway point of 2026. He’s got a lot of fantasy heavy hitters to share, and I’ve got my usual mix of literary fiction, romance, and memoir.We used to record conversations about reading, buddy reads, and bookish habits for the He Read She Read podcast (2018-2021). Now a couple of Australians seemingly trademarked the name—but no matter! We hope to record more episodes for The Eclectic Reader with Curtis as a featured guest. If you like hearing us banter about books, sign up as a paid subscriber to hear more.Find all the books we mentioned today in show notes at chelsey.substack.com.

Hey, Readers! I decided to make my June Reading Reflections episode public, so everyone can preview what these reading wrap-ups sound like each month. If you enjoy hearing me chat about my recent reads, join the paid tier to get these monthly episodes directly in your podcast app. Paid subscribers also get Electic Recs and seasonal printables in their inbox.The Eclectic Reader is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber @ chelsey.substack.comBooks Mentioned* Mercy Watson: Adventures of a Porcine Wonder Series by Kate DiCamillo* The Princess in Black Series by Shannon & Dean Hale* Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan* Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear* Emily Wilde’s Enclyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett* Game of Rogues by Julie Anne Long* Make Your Way Home by Carrie R. Moore* Young Lions Fiction Award* Rickey Fayne & Carrie R. Moore on Writing the Blackness of the SouthSome of the links in this newsletter are Bookshop affiliate links. If you shop these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work in this way. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chelsey.substack.com/subscribe

A few months ago, I published a newsletter all about how I find book recommendations without any attention-sucking apps. It was my most popular newsletter to date, mostly because of all the comments and questions readers sent in about BookPage, a physical publication I pick up every single month at my public library. I reached out to the editor-in-chief of BookPage to see if we could chat about their book review process, and she said yes! I hope you enjoy my conversation with Trisha and Phoebe, two passionate editors whose love of reading shapes every issue of BookPage.Curious about BookPage? Visit their website to learn more or follow them on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @readbookpage. Purchase an Individual Subscription, Find BookPage at your library or bookstore, and sign up for BookPage Newsletters in your inbox.For more book recommendations, reading life reflections, or stories from my adventures in gardening, subscribe to The Eclectic Reader newsletter.Books MentionedDear Monica Lewinsky by Julia LangbeinThe Missed Connection by Tia WilliamsThe Lesbian Bar Chronicles by Rachel KarpA Tale for the Time Being by Ruth OzekiThe Typing Lady by Ruth OzekiThe Magnificent Ruins by Nayantara RoySisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara RoyWhistler by Ann PatchettBel Canto by Ann PatchettThe Yahoo Boys by Carlos Barragán This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chelsey.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chelsey.substack.comI read some fantastic, memorable books in February, and I have a lot to say about them in this episode! In addition to ten book reviews, I share how I’m grappling with inconsistency in my reading life as a mom with potential neurodivergence. I hope you enjoy this reading wrap-up—it’s one of my favorite newsletters to send out.Books Mentioned* Still True by Maggie Ginsberg* Kin by Tayari Jones* Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden* Evil Genius by Claire Oshetsky* Country Place by Ann Petry* Dominion by Addie E. Citchens* Dom-Com by Adriana Anders* The Story of Gumluck the Wizard by Adam Rex* An Academic Affair by Jodi McAllister* Meet the Newmans by Jennifer NivenSome of the links in this newsletter are Bookshop affiliate links. If you shop these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work in this way.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chelsey.substack.comHey Readers! Welcome back to Anchor Texts, our quarterly book club and close reading series. I’m excited to continue our year of Ann Petry together with Country Place, a slim, small town novel packed with tension. In today’s introductory episode, I’m sharing my annotations from the first two chapters, including notes on the narrator, possible themes to track, and Petry’s expertise in building suspense from the jump.If you are new to Anchor Texts, welcome! Here are some previous posts to catch you up on our project—but please know you aren’t missing anything or “behind” if you’re just joining us now. This is a low key, loose schedule, choose-your-own-adventure kind of reading group. We will meet via video call to discuss Country Place on February 25 at 6 pm Central/7 pm Eastern.Links to our book club meeting and our exclusive Discord chat await you on Substack.

Hey, Eclectic Readers! I’m excited to share my favorite reads of 2025 with all of you—and even more excited to welcome a special guest to this yearly wrap-up episode. My husband and former podcast co-host Curtis joins me today to discuss how parenting small children has impacted our reading lives, what books we loved this year, and what we’re hoping to read in 2026. You’ll get to experience the complete breadth of our reading tastes in this episode, with recommendations from nearly every genre.Special thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for occupying the four-year-old, and to our one-year-old for napping long enough for us to record this episode. It took an entire month to make the time, and we both had terrible colds, but we got it done!Books Mentioned* The Palace of Rogues series by Julie Anne Long* The Ferryman by Justin Cronin* The Passage by Justin Cronin* The Twelve by Justin Cronin* Audition by Katie Kitamura* 5 books to read if you liked Audition* Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry* The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne* We Few by Nick Brockhausen* Whispers in the Tall Grass by Nick Brockhausen* Surprise, Kill, Vanish by Annie Jacobsen* MACV-SOG (Wikipedia)* Sex of the Midwest by Robin Ryle* The Street by Ann Petry* Country Place by Ann Petry* The Anchor Texts Project* The Stormlight Archive series Brandon Sanderson* The Dark Tower series by Stephen King* Grant by Ron Chernow This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chelsey.substack.com/subscribe

Hey, Eclectic Readers! I’m taking you on a behind the scenes tour of The Fall 2025 Romance Collection to share how I source books, sort books, and cement my final curated list. Along the way, you’ll find out which books did NOT make the final cut, and why. I hope you enjoy this chatty how-did-this-get-made episode, and I can’t wait to share more podcast chats with you soon. Books Mentioned* Mate by Ali Hazelwood* Bride by Ali Hazelwood* People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young* Soul Searching by Lyla Sage* After Hours at Dooryard Books by Cat Sebastian* The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh* Witch of the Wolves by Kaylee Archer* Learning Curves by Rachel Lacey* Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain* An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chelsey.substack.com/subscribe

Hey readers! I’m excited to be back on the mic for a seasonal reading wrap-up. I have more podcast episodes coming your way, including monthly reading reflections for paid subscribers. Grab a 20% discount on annual subscriptions and get your TBR lists ready!Books Mentioned* Reel by Kennedy Ryan* Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood* Under Your Spell by Laura Wood* Alanna: The Graphic Novel Adaptation by Tamora Pierce, Vita Alaya, and Sam Beck* Promise by Rachel Eliza Griffiths* The Wedding by Dorothy West* Copper Script by KJ Charles* Audition by Katie KitamuraAlso Mentioned* Eclectic Recs* Unstacked Reads Ranked* Fiction Matters Ranked Reading Recap This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chelsey.substack.com/subscribe