Ep 518: Striking a feel-good balance in your reading life

From What Should I Read Next? by Anne Bogel

March 17, 2026 · 53 min · Episode 518

About this episode

Nikkya discusses the challenges of balancing professional and pleasure reading while exploring new genres.

Indie bookstore owner Nikkya joins Anne today to talk about the pain points in her reading life. Nikkya reads widely for her work as owner of Obodo Serendipity Books in Stratford, Connecticut. She is most at home as a reader in her go-to nonfiction spaces, where she knows what she likes and is able to find it. After having a real aha moment six months ago, Nikkya has been trying to strike a delicate balance between her professional reading and reading for pleasure. And it's only going okay. She's especially feeling the friction of seeking to push into genres she's less familiar with, like historical fiction, romance, and mysteries and thrillers. Today she and Anne explore what successful branching out might look like, with specific title recommendations that may feel like doable, pleasurable steps in a new direction. Find the list of titles mentioned and leave a comment sharing your suggestions for Nikkya at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/518. Around here we believe in the power of understanding your reading life, and our Patreon community is designed for readers like you. It's a space to enjoy more conversations about the books we love and why we love…

People in this episode

Host: Anne

Guest: Nikkya

Topics covered

reading life
nonfiction
historical fiction
romance
mysteries
thrillers

Keywords

indie bookstore
Obodo Serendipity Books
Stratford Connecticut
genre exploration

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Industry Insights, One Great Book, Mini Matchmaking

Places: Stratford, Connecticut