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 New Year! It’s the first Monday of 2026… which means it’s time to return to a normal routine after a few quieter weeks.

While I worked part of last week, I also enjoyed a few days off, with plenty of reading time, family time, and time to be free and unscheduled!

Sigh. It’s hard to think about going back to the daily grind.

Year-end wrap-up and looking forward:

I share my usual batch of end-of-year and beginning-of-year posts, including:

• A salute to my unread books from 2025
• A check-in on my 2025 series reading
• My reading wrap-up for 2025
• Reading goals for 2026
• My series priorities for 2026

What did I read during the last week?

Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench: I loved this audiobook! It was a wonderful listen, and it also inspired me to plan to read some new-to-me Shakespeare plays in the coming year. My review is here.

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher: Such a beautiful, heart-warming novel! My review is here.

Puzzle time!

A couple of weeks ago, I started a puzzle created from a family photo, which was really fun… until I got all the faces and interesting bits done, and was left with hundreds of pieces that were just grass and leaves. I tried to power through, until our kitty managed to pull the whole thing off my puzzle table. Annoying… but it also gave me an excuse for calling it a day!

Moving on, I pulled out a puzzle I bought a while ago but hadn’t unboxed, and had a wonderful time with it. I loved the colors and design, as well as the quality of the pieces. This time around, I took defensive measures to keep the kitty away!

Ravensburger: Riverside Town **
**Amazon affiliate link: Links to purchase site; I may earn a small commission at no cost to you

Pop culture & TV:

I finished Pluribus, and really liked it! Can’t wait to see where the story goes whenever a new season drops.

After that, I started Shrinking. I haven’t gotten very far, but I like what I’ve seen.

I also watched a movie that left me with very mixed feelings — All of You on AppleTV. It’s well acted and the stars have great chemistry — but (spoiler alert!) a large part of the plot includes cheating, which I did not expect and which I would typically not choose to watch.

Fresh Catch:

A batch of new books this week:

I’ve now officially used up all gift cards and credits! I treated myself to the Harper Muse Classic edition of Sense and Sensibility, leaving me with just one more Jane Austen novel to add to the collection down the road. I couldn’t resist the gorgeous hardcover of The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty — fingers crossed that I’ll love the story as much as I love the cover design! Inspired by the Judi Dench audiobook that I finished last week, I ordered copies of two Shakespeare plays that I’ve never read and that I look forward to exploring.

Two library holds came in over the weekend, and while I was there, I grabbed two graphic novels that caught my eye. I’m happy with my library haul!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

All Better Now by Neal Shusterman: I borrowed this book from the library after reading this article on what to read after finishing Pluribus. Totally an impulse borrow, and I’m really curious to see how it all works out.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover: Thanks to days of never-ending rain, I haven’t been able to get out for my usual walks, which means I haven’t had nearly enough time for audiobooks. I like this one so far, and hope to make good progress this week during my daily commutes.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments — starting back up this week after a holiday break!

• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: My book group’s current classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 29%. Coming up this week: Chapters 11 & 12.
• The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien: My book group’s journey through the LOTR books starts up again this week, as we begin The Return of the King. Progress (relative to the entire LOTR opus): 62%.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…