The Currently Reading Podcast: Helping You Choose Your Next Read

TV dedicates precious few minutes to any review of books in its news or magazine-style shows. Other than NPR, radio basically ignores that people read, and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu believe every person in the world can't wait to listen to a sports podcast. Last fall, the National Endowment for the Arts reported  that, according to its 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA), conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 48.5 percent of adults reported having read at least one book in the past year. That number is regrettably in a downward spiral, but still, that's a lot of people reading books regularly.

As per its unique talent, podcasting offers readers an abundance of choices. One of the best options is The Currently Reading Podcast, which is a weekly book recommendation show hosted by two friends, Meredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb (often joined by guest co-hosts), dedicated to helping the audience choose their next read and improve their reading life. It is celebrated as one of the best book podcasts for readers.

The hosts provide spoiler-free reviews across all genres and are known for sharing genuine, sometimes strong opinions about what they’ve read. Each weekly episode is light on fluff and heavy on book talk. Segments typically include a "Bookish Moment of the Week" (events or occurrences in the hosts' reading lives), "Current Reads," a "Deep Dive" (a thematic discussion on a reading topic), and a recommendation for a book the hosts want to put into every reader's hands. The hosts utilize a Reader Know Thyself approach, which encourages listeners to understand their own reading tastes and habits rather than trying to fit an idealized reading style.

Let's meet the co-hosts of this brilliant podcast.

 "I’m Meredith Monday Schwartz. I’m a married mom of four and full-time CEO of a large wedding website. I live in Austin, TX, and love the amazing bookstores and diverse community that make up this gorgeous place I call home. I’ve been an avid reader since I was 4. I’m a very introverted person, so I read to recharge. My very favorite thing to do if I’m not reading is… wait for it… to talk about books! I’m so grateful that, in Kaytee, I’ve found the perfect partner."

 

"I’m Kaytee Cobb. I’m a single mom of four kids and their homeschool teacher. I try not to lose my mind in the Arizona heat by reading books. I’ve hit a 'professional' reading level by regularly devouring more than 200 books in a calendar year. I’m an ESTJ, Enneagram 8w9, Obliger, and Ravenclaw who obviously loves personality tests. I enjoy being around people, but my favorite thing to talk to those people about is… books, especially Meredith, my ride or die."

 There's so much to like about this book podcast. First, the intro music is this light, jazzy tune with an infectious piano that plays under the co-hosts as they introduce each episode. As we always recommend, the co-hosts tell listeners who they are and what the show is about. I admire the comment, "Light on chit-chat and heavy on the book talk." 

Each episode, which runs for about an hour, has four sections -- Bookish Moments, Current Reads, Deep Dive, and Before We Go. The show notes and timestamps for this show are exceptional and their website design, navigational scheme and overall schema is far above the average podcast website.

Here's a typical show -- Season 8, Episode 41: Book Hangovers + Mid Year Reading Check-In, May 8, 2026 -- as hosts Kaytee and Meredith are discussing Bookish Moments: even more adaptations and reading hangovers Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: Kaytee and Meredith do a mid-year reading check-in and discuss The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, which happens to be one of my favorite books. 

The Currently Reading Podcast is adept at building a value-added Patreon group, and it sells coffee mugs with adorable book sayings on them. The show is in its eighth season, which isn't surprising given its ability to summarize book plots and offer opinions on the book. Doing a book review podcast can be difficult. When setting up the podcast format, do the host (s) review just one book in depth each episode, hoping that its audience will have an interest in that book. Or do a compendium of books and a variety of segments. Personally, I enjoy the format of The Currently Reading Podcast.

To me, this is one of the best book review podcasts out there. Instead of yet another Bill Simmons sports podcast, The Currently Reading Podcast should be on Netflix, Hulu, or Tubi.