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.

It was a really busy workweek, and I definitely needed distractions and fun in my actual (non-work) life. I got together for dinner with a friend I hadn’t seen since the fall (and we were both shocked to realize how much time had gone by). Note to self: Must do better about making plans rather than just texting “yes, let’s get together soon!”.

Little Free Library and Pango Books.

When I bought my Little Free Library last fall, I felt a bit of a twinge about how expensive it was, even though I’d been saving toward it for some time. So I made a deal with myself — I’d start listing books for sale at Pango Books, and see how much of the LFL cost I could offset that way.

Well, I don’t put a huge amount of effort into promoting my Pango account, so it’s been very slow and very occasional… but after about four months as a seller, I’ve now made it to 25% of the initial cost of the LFL.

I’m not taking any of this too seriously… but my numbers-focused brain likes to keep track, and felt oddly satisfied at hitting a milestone. Meanwhile, between Pango and the LFL, I’m paring down my physical shelves a bit and passing along some of the books that I’ve had for a while and don’t really need to keep. Win-win!

What did I read during the last week?

The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood: Terrific audiobook! My review is here.

Installment Immortality (Incryptids, #14) by Seanan McGuire: Proof that a good series can remain good a long, long time! My review is here.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley: Fresh, funny heist story that’s really about marriage, love, and parenthood. Terrific read! My review is here.

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite: A short, sharp novella about a murder on a spaceship. Lots of fun, and very clever. My review is here.

I also ended up listening to a new Audible Original short story:

I usually really enjoy everything by Abby Jimenez, but The Fall Risk was just okay. Maybe it’s the length, but the love story elements felt really rushed, and meanwhile, it’s much darker overall than you’d expect based on the cover.

Pop culture & TV:

The Amazing Race is back! It’s so much fun. Also in the category of hanging out on my couch in front of the TV… I watched a rom-com on Prime Video that I thought I’d enjoy — but it just was not good. Sigh. (In case you’re curious, it was Picture This, and I watched it because someone I like a lot from Bridgerton is the lead character.)

On the other hand, my son and I went out to see Mickey 17 last night, and thought it was amazing. Seriously, terrific filmmaking and great performances. (I recommend not watching trailers, and just taking it all in as a fresh experience… but if you’re truly curious, here’s the link to the official trailer, which I think spoils some great moments in the movie.)

Fresh Catch:

Susanna Kearsley’s newest book just arrived! It’s a lovely paperback with decorated edges. I may wait a bit to read it, since it’s one of my book group’s picks for later in the year… we’ll see if I can resist the temptation to start sooner.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian: Historical fiction set during the Civil War. I’m just past the halfway mark, and it’s excellent so far.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Love Lyric (Greene Sisters, #3) by Kristina Forest: The 3rd book in a trilogy that I’ve really enjoyed. I should finish up in the next day or so.

Ongoing reads:

I have two longer-term reading projects at the moment:

• My book group’s classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 52%. Up next: Chapters 26 and 27.
• Dracula: My Classics Club spin book! Progress: 0%. That’s right — I completely failed to even start this book during the past week, despite my good intentions. I’ll leave it here for now, and see if I can do better in the week to come.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…