My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
What did I read during the last week?
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren: I finished this the previous week, but just posted a review a few days ago.
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory: More contemporary romance! My review is here.
In audiobooks:
I finished a re-read of Beneath the Sugar Sky via audio, and now I’m all set for the next book in the series, coming in January. Can’t wait!
Book group books:
Our group re-read of The Scottish Prisoner wrapped up this week. We’ve been reading and discussing two chapters per week since July — so much fun. For any Outlander fans out there who haven’t year explored the Lord John works, I strongly urge you to do so! The Scottish Prisoner is particularly fun, since John and Jamie share the spotlight. As always, reading with my book group made the experience extra sweet for me.
We also read The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol for our December book of the month — nice and short, and perfect holiday reading!
And my biggest accomplishment — I finished Middlemarch! My book group started Middlemarch back in March, and have been group-reading two chapters per week ever since. I actually cheated a bit — we had three chapters left, to be read in January, and I just couldn’t stand waiting! I need to digest it all a bit… and I think I’m going to watch one of the movie/mini-series versions too. I’m so glad to have read it, and once again need to say how grateful I am to be in a book group where we can tackle big, challenging books like this together.
Outlander, baby!
I’m writing reaction posts for each episode of season 4:
Check out the most recent:
Episode 408, “Wilmington” (aired 12/23/2018) – my reaction post for last night’s episode is here.
Pop culture goodness:
I don’t know what I was up to in the early 2000s (oh yeah, that’s right, having a baby!), but clearly I was way too busy to start watching Gilmore Girls. In the category of “never too late”, I finally sat down to start at the beginning, and I’m finding season 1 awfully cute. It does kind of crack me up to see how dated it is (pagers! flip phones! landlines! a Bangles concert! and oh, the clothing…), but the characters and mother/daughter dynamic are truly charming.
Fresh Catch:
More and more books! A few of my used book orders arrived in the mail this week, including these two non-fiction books that sound really interesting:
I also treated myself to a brand-new book by a favorite author:
Signed and everything!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin: I started this MASSIVE book thinking I’d read straight through, but I’m finding that I can’t handle more than a one or two chapters a day before my eyes start to cross and I lose all ability to keep my Targaryens and their respective dragons straight. This book is absolutely going to take me a while, although I’m still hoping to finish before the end of the year.
And meanwhile, I’m giving myself little breaks from Westerosi history by reading My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead, which is really interesting so far, and helps me make sense of Middlemarch and why it’s considered such an important book in English literature.
Now playing via audiobook:
Back to Tortall! I’ve started my next Tamora Pierce trilogy, the Beka Cooper books. Book #1 is Terrier, and I’m liking it so far, even though I don’t think I’d make it without a print copy handy so I can check the glossary to figure out all the terminology and slang.
Ongoing reads:
None at the moment! All of my book group reads are wrapped up at this point. A new classic read and a new Lord John read will both be starting in January!
So many books, so little time…
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Bookshelf Fantasies 
My goodness your reading schedule is inspiring! Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year ❣
Ha, thanks so much! (It helps that my book group books all ended the same week. 🙂 ) Happy Christmas and New Year to you too!
Ooh, I need to rewatch The Gilmore Girls😊 I had a baby in 2000 too!
A very good crop of babies born then! 🙂
I hope you continue to enjoy Gilmore Girls! ❤️ I love that show so much! 😀
I have either 3 or 4 episodes left in season 1. It’s so much fun! I’ll definitely keep going. 🙂