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.

Life.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Bring on the chocolate and candy hearts!!

(My husband and I don’t typically do much for Valentine’s Day other than (some years) give each other cards… but if you’re doing something fun or romantic or treating yourself to a me-valentine, I hope you enjoy!)

This past week has been super busy with work, but what else is new? I worked at my office three out of five days, and on the one hand, it’s nice to see people again… but it’s hard to give up my work from home routine, with easy access to my back porch when the sun is out.

Although this is San Francisco, so even when the sun makes an appearance, we really can’t count on it lasting:

What did I read during the last week?

I also read these two spur-of-the-moment library books — one a YA novel, one a YA graphic novel. Both were about 3-star reads for me — they passed the time and had some good elements, but neither quite made the mark.

Pop culture & TV:

After watching all three seasons of BBC’s Ghosts, I decided to try the American version too, and just finished the first (and only, so far) season over the weekend. After a few episodes adjusting to the tonal shift and the new mix of ghosts, I ended up liking the American show too, but the BBC characters (Mary and Kitty!!) hold a special place in my heart (and make me laugh a lot more).

Other than that, I’m just keeping up with All Creatures Great and Small and The Gilded Age, and slowly working my way through Raised by Wolves (which is weird AF).

Puzzle of the Week:

I loved my puzzle this week so much that I even wrote a separate post about it (here):

Fresh Catch:

One new book this week:

This book gets mentioned in a novel I read last week (This Is How You Lose the Time War), and when I realized that Travel Light was a real book, I needed a copy of my own.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

An Impossible Impostor by Deanna Raybourn: It’s the new Veronica Speedwell mystery (#7 in the series), and although I’m only a few chapters into it so far, it’s just as delightful as I’d expected. I love this series!

Now playing via audiobook:

Beach Read by Emily Henry: I have actually read this book already, but it’s my book group’s pick for February, and I need a refresher before we discuss!

Ongoing reads:

One of my few reading goals for 2022 is to spend time enjoying the pretty, arty, illustrated books and story collections that I tend to treat myself to from time to time — but then never get around to actually reading.

This week, I’m reading through two art books with different takes on the National Parks… I’m taking my time, enjoying a few pages from each per day. They’re helping me dream, too! I’m having all sorts of fantasies about which parks I can manage to visit when I’m ready to plan some travel time.

I’m bouncing back and forth between these two, and really loving them!

So many books, so little time…