Tag: reading

Posted on

What I’m Reading – February 2026

What I’m Reading Now

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (Cerulean Chronicles #1) – I have seen this book around a lot and decided to give it a try.

How God Sees Women: The End of Patriarchy by Terran Williams – Good book but pretty dry. I keep avoiding going back to it, so I may have to skim the rest.

What I Recently Finished

  • The Cyprian by Mercedes Lackey (Elemental Masters #18)
  • Christmas Wedding at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth (Bella Beach #8)
  • The Seven Day Switch by Kelly Harms
  • Never Meant to Stay by Trisha Das
  • The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation by Elizabeth Berg
  • The Dandelion and the Thistle by Pip Dolyn
  • Sheepfarmer’s Daughter by Elizabeth Moon (The Deed of Paksenarrion #1)
  • Butterfly Inn by Kate Wentworth (Butterfly Lane #1)

What I Added to my TBR

  • Driving with the Top Down by Beth Harbison
  • Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin
  • Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
  • Fury in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death #63)
  • The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain
  • Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg
  • Chasing the Clouds Away by Debbie Macomber
  • Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven
  • Book Club at Butterfly Inn by Kate Wentworth (Butterfly Lane #2)
  • Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon (The Deed of Paksenarrion #2)
  • Oath of Gold by Elizabeth Moon (The Deed of Paksenarrion #3)
  • Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
  • This Little Light of Mine: The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer by Kay Mills

TBR Stats/Updates

  • I currently have 184 books on my TBR. Of these, 7 are nonfiction and 177 are fiction.
  • I have read 8 books so far in 2026. My goal is 100.
  • I have not finished any nonfiction books so far in 2026. My goal is 6.
  • I am still on my 3-month free trial of Kindle Unlimited. I have read 12 books on KU so far and have 2 currently borrowed. I only have 1 more book planned to borrow, so I should be able to cancel before the free trial is over.
  • Here are some more stats from StoryGraph:
Posted on

Bookish Question: DNF

Bookish Question: How do you decide when to DNF a book?

I ask this because I recently had my first DNF of 2026. It was women’s fiction, which is normally right up my alley, but I picked it up twice and both times just felt stressed out by it. 

I am not going to name the book, but I will say that I found the situation the main character was in to be very stressful and I also thought the book was kind of dated. When I checked my progress in the Libby app, I was only at 10%, but I just decided to be done with it. I have plenty of other books on my TBR.

I feel a mild sense of guilt about this, although I will say that is a vast improvement over where I was a decade ago when I wouldn’t have considered not finishing a book. So that makes me curious how other people decide when and why to DNF a book.

Posted on

What I’m Reading – January 2026

What I’m Reading Now

The Cyprian by Mercedes Lackey – Elemental Masters #18 – I have been a fan of hers since she started writing almost 40 years ago and am so thankful she is still writing books!

The Seven Day Switch by Kelly Harms – I am working my way through her backlist, so this one is up next!

What I Recently Finished

Fiction

  • Goblins & Greatcoats by Travis Baldree – Legends & Lattes #0.6 (short story)
  • Get Lucky by Katherine Center
  • The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms
  • Wherever the Wind Takes Us by Kelly Harms
  • Catch Us When We Fall by Juliette Fay
  • The Half of It by Juliette Fay
  • The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
  • Feeling the Fireworks: Starting Over in Devon by Rebecca Paulinyi (South West #3)
  • The Best Christmas Ever: A Wedding in Devon Novella by Rebecca Paulinyi (South West #4)
  • Trouble in Tartan: True Love in Devon by Rebecca Paulinyi (South West #5)
  • Summer of Sunshine: Missing Devon Novella by Rebecca Paulinyi (South West #6)
  • Healing the Heartbreak: Moving on in Devon by Rebecca Paulinyi (South West #7)
  • Dancing Till Dawn: First Love in Devon by Rebecca Paulinyi (South West #8)

Nonfiction

  • Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table by Brandan J. Robertson

What I Added to my TBR

  • An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward
  • This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
  • The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

TBR Stats/Updates

  • I currently have 179 books on my TBR. Of those, 6 are nonfiction and 173 are fiction.
  • At the end of June, I created a focused reading list of 25 books I wanted to read by the end of the year. I have completed that list with 24 read and 1 DNF.
  • I read 126 books in 2025 (my goal was 75).
  • My nonfiction goal for 2025 was 12, which I achieved.
  • Here are some more stats from StoryGraph:
Posted on

Ten Before the End Update

A few weeks ago I posted a list of 10 books that I wanted to read before the end of the year. I am very happy to say that I was able to complete the entire list!!

It was touch and go for a minute because when I put The Seven Year Slip on hold, it had a several month wait. But it finally started moving and I was eventually able to borrow it this month.

Here are the books from my Ten Before the End list:

  • Funny Story by Emily Henry
  • The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont
  • Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
  • Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
  • A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
  • Modern Persuasion by Sara Marks
  • Loveless by Alice Oseman
  • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
  • What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
  • The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

This was a fun little challenge!

Posted on

What I’m Reading – December 2025

What I’m Reading Now

The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms – This is a novel focused on the place of social media in our lives. It is okay so far.

Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table by Brandan Robertson – This book has given me a lot to think about. It goes beyond the regular discussion of Bible passages that have been used to condemn the LGBTQ community and covers some really interesting topics.

What I Recently Finished

Fiction

  • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
  • What you are looking for is in the library by Michiko Aoyama
  • Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #2)
  • The Library by Bella Osborne
  • 3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years by John Scalzi (short story)
  • The Toy Car by Rose Tremain (short story)

Nonfiction

  • Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop: A Memoir by Alba Donati

What I Added to my TBR

  • In the Paris Fashion by Sophie Beaumont
  • Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman (Alex Delaware #41)
  • Revenge Prey by John Sandford (Lucas Davenport #36)
  • The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah by Jean Meltzer
  • Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer
  • Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer
  • Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer
  • The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods
  • Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh by Rachael Lippincott
  • The Midnight Train by Matt Haig
  • Now That I Know You by Heart by Amy Hagstrom
  • Goblins & Greatcoats by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #1.5)
  • Not Quite Done with Dating by Bella Osborne
  • You & Me and You & Me and You & Me by Josie Lloyd
  • The Shippers by Katherine Center
  • Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell
  • A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber
  • The Phoebe Variations by Jane Hamilton

TBR Stats/Updates

  • I currently have 186 books on my TBR. Of those, 6 are nonfiction and 180 are fiction.
  • At the end of June, I created a focused reading list of 25 books I would like to read by the end of the year. So far, I have read 23 of those books. One was a DNF, and the last one is still on hold with Libby, so I’m hoping it will be available in time.
  • I have read 113 books this year (my goal was 75).
  • My nonfiction goal is 1 per month, which I have met so far with a total of 11.
  • Here are some more stats from StoryGraph:
Posted on

What I’m Reading – November 2025

What I’m Reading Now

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods – I’m still in the early chapters of this novel, but it weaves together the past and the present with a touch of magical realism. I’m enjoying it so far.

What I Recently Finished

  • Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand – Paradise #3
  • Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout – Amgash #5
  • Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
  • A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
  • This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
  • Modern Persuasion by Sara Marks – 21st Century Austen #1
  • Woodworking by Emily St. James
  • Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare – The Infernal Devices #2
  • Loveless by Alice Oseman

What I Added to my TBR

  • The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams
  • In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams – When in Rome #4
  • A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss
  • Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss
  • Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
  • I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
  • A Secret Garden in Paris by Sophie Beaumont
  • The Night Bus by Tessa Bickers
  • The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev
  • The Wedding Setup by Sonali Dev
  • How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev
  • Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
  • Nantucket Second Chances by Pamela Kelley
  • Vanyel and Vixen by Mercedes Lackey
  • Love and War in Woodhouse Hall by Sara Marks – 21st Century Austen #3
  • Love From Northanger Parks, Katie by Sara Marks – 21st Century Austen #4
  • Unraveling Carrie Woodhouse by Sara Marks – 21 Century Austen #5
  • Sweeten Up Ginny Darcy by Sara Marks – 21st Century Austen #6
  • Sheepfarmer’s Daughter by Elizabeth Moon – The Deed of Paksenarrion #1
  • Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
  • Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay
  • The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay
  • A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay
  • The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay
  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • 3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years by John Scalzi
  • The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

TBR Stats/Updates

  • I currently have 179 books on my TBR. Of those, 9 are nonfiction and 170 are fiction.
  • At the end of June, I created a focused reading list of 25 books I would like to read by the end of the year. So far, I have read 21 of those books.
  • I have read 105 books this year (my goal was 75).
  • My nonfiction goal is 1 per month, which I have met so far with a total of 10.
  • Here are some more stats from StoryGraph:
Posted on

What I’m Reading – October 2025

What I’m Reading Now

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand – this is #3 in her Paradise trilogy. It’s not my favorite series but I do want to finish it.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare – I was reading this at the beginning of last month too, and I haven’t made much progress. I am not super invested in it and it is a physical book, both of which make me less likely to pick it up and read.

What I Recently Finished

Fiction

  • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – Emily Wilde #1
  • How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
  • Framed in Death by J.D. Robb – In Death #61
  • Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett – Emily Wilde #2
  • Funny Story by Emily Henry
  • The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont

Nonfiction

  • Autism Out Loud: Life with a Child on the Spectrum, from Diagnosis to Young Adulthood by Kate Swenson, Adrian Wood, and Carrie Cariello

What I Added to my TBR

  • This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
  • Christmas Island by Natalie Normann – Verry Hygge Holiday #2
  • The Life She Could Have Lived by Laura Pearson
  • Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett – Emily Wilde #3

TBR Stats/Updates

  • I currently have 160 books on my TBR. Of those, 9 are nonfiction and 151 are fiction.
  • At the end of June, I created a focused reading list of 25 books I would like to read by the end of the year. So far, I have read 15 of those books.
  • I have read 96 books this year (my goal was 75).
  • My nonfiction goal is 1 per month, which I have met so far with a total of 10.
  • Here are some more stats from StoryGraph:
Posted on

Ten Before the End

Ten Before the End

An account I follow on Instagram shared a list of ten books they want to read by the end of the year and my first thought was that’s what I need to get my reading mojo back. I have only read two books so far this month, which is pretty low for me.

Here are the ten books I want to read before the end of this year:

  • Funny Story by Emily Henry
  • Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
  • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
  • What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
  • Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
  • The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
  • A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
  • The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont
  • Modern Persuasion by Sara Marks
  • Loveless by Alice Oseman

Have you read any of these? Do you have books you want to get in before the end of 2025?

Posted on

What I’m Reading – September 2025

What I’m Reading Now

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare – The Infernal Devices #2 – I was encouraged to read this series by a good friend who loves fantasy books. I used to read a lot of fantasy years ago but have gotten away from it in the last couple of decades. It’s well written and an interesting story.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – I have seen this around for a while and was intrigued enough to check it out. The main character seems to be autistic-coded, which is interesting.

What I Recently Finished

Fiction

  • The Bride Test by Helen Hoang – The Kiss Quotient #2
  • The Emma Project by Sonali Dev – The Rajes #4
  • The Sandy Page Bookshop by Hannah McKinnon
  • Every Time You Go Away by Beth Harbison
  • The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore
  • Wedding at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth – Bella Beach #7
  • Smells Like Tween Spirit by Laurie Gelman – Class Mom #4
  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – Time Quintet #1

Nonfiction

  • The Evolution of Adam: What the Bible Does and Doesn’t Say about Human Origins by Peter Enns

What I Added to my TBR

  • The Storytellers by Sue Heath
  • Something to Look Forward To: Fictions by Fannie Flagg
  • The Road to Cardinal Valley by Earlene Fowler – Ruby McGavin #2
  • The Incredible Kindness of Paper by Evelyn Skye
  • Confessions of the Other Sister by Paige Harbison
  • Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan
  • If I Could Turn Back Time by Beth Harbison
  • Christmas Wedding at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth
  • Butterfly Inn by Kate Wentworth – Butterfly Lane #1
  • Once and Again by Rebecca Serle

TBR Stats/Updates

  • I currently have 163 books on my TBR. Of those, 10 are nonfiction and 153 are fiction.
  • At the end of June, I created a focused reading list of 25 books I would like to read by the end of the year. So far, I have read 11 of those books.
  • I have read 89 books this year (my goal was 75).
  • My nonfiction goal is 1 per month, which I have met so far with a total of 9.
  • Here are some more stats from StoryGraph:

Feel free to add me as a friend on Goodreads or StoryGraph. I’m always looking for new recommendations!

Posted on

Reading Habits

When do you read? 

The answer to this question has changed over time for me. For most of my life, I simply read all the time (meaning at any moment that I could sneak in even a few minutes.) 

While my son was growing up, my time to read did lessen somewhat, but I still read way more than most people do. These days I tend to finish 10-12 books a month, with one of those usually being nonfiction.

The most common time you will see me reading now is during mealtime. From childhood, I always had the urge to grab a book while I was eating. I had to suppress that during family dinner time, but now that I am single with an adult child, I almost always read when I eat.

Outside of that, my reading times are pretty random. I do read in the evenings or on weekends, but I also watch TV or movies and put together jigsaw puzzles, so I’m not as single-minded about reading as in the past.

I’m interested to know what other people’s reading habits are and how they have changed over time, and I would love it if you left me a comment with your thoughts on this.