Well-Read

Like many readers, we’re eager to talk about the recent list of the 50 best thrillers of the 21st century, according to the New York Times. But we have a lot of questions…

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:

The New York Times: The 50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century
The New York Times: The 100 Best Books of 21st Century
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The New York Times: Readers Pick Their 100 Best Books of 21st Century
The New York Times: Let’s Talk About the 50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century
People Magazine
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Stieg Larsson books
Jo Nesbø books
Jussi Adler-Olsen books
Ruth Ware books
Harlem Trilogy series by Colson Whitehead
Don Winslow books
Freida McFadden books
Carl Hiaasen books
Sarah Pinborough books
Ruth Rendell books
The Window in the Window by A.J. Finn
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Verity by Collen Hoover
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
John Marrs books
The One by John Marrs
The Marriage Act by John Marrs
James Patterson books
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Along Came a Spider by James Patterson
Daniel Silva books

Ann’s picks:

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
– Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
– Shutter Island (film)

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

The Witch Elm by Tana French

Halle’s picks:

The Push by Ashley Audrain
– The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
– The Things You’ll Never Know by Ashley Audrain

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

What We’re Reading This Week:

Ann: A Bit Much by Lyndsay Rush
– @maryoliversdrunkcousin on Instagram

Halle: Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty
– Read with Jenna
– Jaclyn Moriarty books
– Nicola Moriarty books

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We love a TBR episode, and even better is a TBR episode when we pick books for each other! Listen in for our selections, and we’ll end with what we’re reading this week.

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:

Ann’s picks:

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
– Long Bright River by Liz Moore

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
– The Woman in the Library in Sulari Gentill
– Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill

Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
– Charles Dickens books
– Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
– The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

Halle’s picks:

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
– The Empress of Rome series by Kate Quinn
– Kate Quinn books

Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni
– Our Ex’s Wedding by Taleen Voskuni

Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

What We’re Reading This Week:

Ann: Strange Houses by Uketsu
– Strange Buildings by Uketsu

Halle: Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti
– Tessa Dare books
– Swipe Bite by Alexandra Vasti
– Judith McNaught books
– Loretta Chase books

Well-Read on Facebook
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Somehow this year is already halfway over (!!!!!), so it’s time to check in on our reading goals and parts of our book lives.

 

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:

Litsy
Next Chapter Society Book Club
Libba Bray books
@mysterymanon on Instagram
@mother.horror on Instagram
@ash.reads.horror on Instagram
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Wuthering Heights (film)
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Romanceopoly 2026
@booksandlala on Instagram
Emma M. Lion series by Beth Brower
Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy
Sarah J. Maas books
New York Times Bestsellers list
J.D. Robb books
C.J. Box books
Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane
This Land Is Your Land by Beverly Gage
A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman
Land by Maggie O’Farrell
Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Strangers by Belle Burden
Famesick by Lena Dunham
Whistler by Ann Patchett
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen books
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
Sue Grafton books
Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke
Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino
A Good Person by Kirsten King
Alan Opts Out by Courtney Maum
Sky Daddy by Kate Folk
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo
Alex Stern series by Leigh Bardugo
Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang
The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon
Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason
Partita by Barbara Kingsolver
Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus
Let’s Kiss and Tell by Joss Richard
It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard


What We’re Reading This Week:

Ann: The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

Halle: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
– The Help by Kathryn Stockett

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If you’re anything like us, you often read a book you love, add the author’s books to your TBR…and there they sit, unread. Thanks to a listener suggestion, we’re making goals this week to rectify that!

 

Books and other media mentioned in this episode:

Meg Mitchell Moore books

Ann’s picks:

All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore
– Runner by Ashton Lattimore
– Ariel Lawhon books
– The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
– Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
– The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
– The Help by Kathryn Stockett
– The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
– The Woman in Black (film)
– The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill
– Simon Serrallier series by Susan Hill
– Ruth Rendell books
– Inspector Wexford series by Ruth Rendell

Halle’s picks:

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
– Sentimental Garbage (podcast)
– Sex and the City (TV)
– The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
– The Gifts series by Caroline O’Donoghue
– Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue
– Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
– Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
– Sarah MacLean books

Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa
– Isabel and the Rogue by Liana De la Rosa
– Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De la Rosa
– Mutual Discord by Liana De la Rosa

Three Junes by Julia Glass
– The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
– The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
– The Women’s Prize for Fiction
– The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

What We’re Reading This Week:

Ann: Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown
– The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

Halle: Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy
– Heated Rivalry (TV)
– Off Campus (TV)
– The Sweet Magnolias series by Sheryl Woods

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