{"podcast":{"title":"What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads","slug":"what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873","podcast_index_feed_id":9873,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/whattoreadnext/","website_url":"http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/f7acd6df-7bd5-4b9f-bdcd-cc1c6c790629/4osSDj37v6rAcBIBBysi07ET.png","author":"Laura R Yamin","episode_count":928,"summary":"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 r…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T20:17:08.396085+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873"},"episode":{"title":"Democracy in Retrograde: Civics Tips That Don't Make You Spiral  | Non-Fiction","slug":"democracy-in-retrograde-civics-tips-that-don-t-make-you-spiral-non-fiction","published_at":"2026-06-12T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/democracy-in-retrograde-civics-tips-that-don-t-make-you-spiral-non-fiction","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873","url":"http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/f42730c8-63fe-4aff-81c0-74abe8121597.mp3","summary":"This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If politics feels overwhelming, chaotic, or just plain exhausting right now — this episode is for you. Emily Amick, the attorney-turned-Instagram creator behind Emily in Your Phone , joins the show to talk about her book Democracy in Retrograde (co-authored with Sami Sage) and why civic action doesn't have to feel hopeless. From calling your actual representative (not Chuck Schumer) to showing up for your local library board, Emily breaks down the concrete, manageable things readers can do to engage with democracy right now — including a real talk about the 2026 midterms. If you've been doom-scrolling and wondering what to do , this conversation is your next step. 📚 Books Mentioned Democracy in Retrograde by Emily Amick & Sammy Sage — Buy on Amazon | Nonfiction / Civics / Political Education | Audio ✅ Note: This episode focuses on a single title. The paperback edition is currently available. ⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Welcome & intro — what this episode is about [00:45] Emily introduces herself: Senate counsel, lawyer, Instagram creator [01:30] Why Democracy in Retrograde was written — answering \"I feel hopeless\" [02:30] How Emily started Emily in Your Phone during the first Trump term [05:00] What actually works: calling your representative (and why it has to be yours) [07:30] Other ways to engage: town halls, letters to the editor, local Facebook groups [08:45] Local elections matter — school boards, library boards, running for office [10:00] Becoming a poll worker: what it involves and why it matters [11:00] Staying focused: how to pick your one issue and advocate for it [12:00] Auditing your news diet — from the workbook section of the book [13:00] Laura on lib…","meta_description":"This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If politics feels overwhelming, chaotic, or just pl…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1270,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/episodes/democracy-in-retrograde-civics-tips-that-don-t-make-you-spiral-non-fiction/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/democracy-in-retrograde-civics-tips-that-don-t-make-you-spiral-non-fiction.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}