What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads

Læs mere What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads

You know you want to read. You just don't know what. What to Read Next is the podcast for readers who love romance, thrillers, and women's fiction — and spend more time staring at their TBR than actually reading it. I'm Laura, and twice a week I bring you book recommendations built around one thing: how you actually feel right now. Not what's new. Not what's trending. The right book for this exact mood, this exact moment, this exact week of your life. Some weeks that means asking an author what they read for joy — not what they wrote, but what they reach for when they need to escape. Their answer is always your next discovery. Some weeks it means me telling you exactly what I read, what stayed with me, what I DNF'd at 40% and why, and which one I'd press into your hands right now if we were having coffee. Romance across every subgenre. Psychological thrillers. Beach reads with actual substance. Women's fiction that makes you feel seen. The books that give you the escape you came for — and a few that'll quietly change how you see things too. New episodes every Monday and Wednesday. The Reading Receipt — my weekly reading log — drops every Thursday on Substack. Start anywhere. The right episode will find you.

The YA Authors Writing Adult Books You'll Obsess Over

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you loved YA but drifted away — or if you're a YA fan wondering where to start in adult fiction — this episode is your permission slip to do both. School librarian and book lover Kelly Mayfield joins Laura to talk about the YA authors crossing over into adult fiction, and why the YA genre has been ahead of the curve on diversity, representation, and storytelling for years. From Rainbow Rowell's slow-burn adult romances to Jesse Q. Sutanto's cozy mysteries with unforgettable ensemble casts, Kelly shares four authors you'll want on your radar — whether you're coming from YA or discovering them fresh. It's also National Library Week, so we're talking about why school libraries matter more than ever and the real-world impact they have on literacy and access. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Rainbow Rowell * Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/3PJOKuCBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3PJOKuC] | Contemporary YA / Romance | Audio ✅ * Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/4nP2JvPBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nP2JvP] | Contemporary YA | Audio ✅ * Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/4dEhRraBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dEhRra] | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ * Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell — https://amzn.to/4dtJ8OdBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dtJ8Od] | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ (new release) Jesse Q. Sutanto * The Obsession by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/4nYujGXBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nYujGX] | YA Thriller | Audio ✅ * You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/3RqhMQwBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RqhMQw] | Adult Thriller | Audio ✅ * Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/4dKtKf8Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dKtKf8] | Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅ * Mrs. Mabel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto — https://amzn.to/3RJSi0pBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RJSi0p] | Cozy Mystery | Audio ✅ (check KU availability) T. Kingfisher (also writes as Ursula Vernon) * A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher — https://amzn.to/3Rxxg5aBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3Rxxg5a] | Fantasy / Fairy Tale Retelling | Audio ✅ * Snake Eater by T. Kingfisher — https://amzn.to/49Ojph6Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/49Ojph6] | Fantasy / Suspense | Audio ✅ * Wolfworm by T. Kingfisher — https://amzn.to/4nR8TvxBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4nR8Tvx] | Fantasy | Audio ✅ (newest release) Melissa de la Cruz * The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz — https://amzn.to/4dOWBPHBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4dOWBPH] | Adult Contemporary Romance | Audio ✅ * Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz — https://amzn.to/4wQpZ0iBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4wQpZ0i] | YA Paranormal / Vampire | Audio ✅ Also Referenced (briefly mentioned): * The Secret History [https://amzn.to/4dKQ5JK] by Donna Tartt [https://amzn.to/4dKQ5JK] * Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow [https://amzn.to/42VCKJq] by Gabrielle Zevin [https://amzn.to/42VCKJq] ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS * [00:00] Welcome & guest intro — Kelly Mayfield, school librarian and book lover * [00:01] National Library Week: why school libraries matter * [02:00] Book banning, funding gaps & the 40% of schools without a trained librarian * [03:00] Laura's reading history: growing up in Puerto Rico without public libraries * [05:00] What makes YA different — happy endings, diverse representation, and being ahead of the curve * [07:00] Novels in verse and other formats YA pioneered before adult fiction * [10:00] Book Rec #1: Rainbow Rowell — Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, Slow Dance, Cherry Baby * [12:30] Book Rec #2: Jesse Q. Sutanto — The Obsession, You Will Never Be Me, Vera Wong series, Mrs. Mabel * [16:00] Book Rec #3: T. Kingfisher — A Sorceress Comes to Call, Snake Eater, Wolfworm; horror light vs. true horror * [18:30] Book Rec #4: Melissa de la Cruz — Blue Bloods, The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos * [21:00] Bonus mentions: Ashley Poston, Amy Spalding, and other YA-to-adult crossover authors * [23:00] Kelly's Substack + the joy of backlist reading and breakout hits 💌CONNECT WITH KELLY MAYFIELD https://kellymayfield.substack.com/ [https://kellymayfield.substack.com/] JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

26. maj 2026 - 26 min