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.

Another busy week at work… but at least that was balanced by a really nice weekend, which included two opportunities to dance, a couple of nice long walks, and time to read!

With a day off today, I’ll be devoting the afternoon to watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on the big screen. My son and I have tickets already. 3.75 hours — here we go!

What did I read during the last week?

The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart: A terrific 1960s-era suspense novel! I’m so glad I finally read it — now I’m eager to read more by this author. My review is here.

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart: Smart, snappy, fast-moving sci-fi adventure! I do wish this book had been a stand-alone rather than the start of a series — that unresolved ending will make me batty until the 2nd book is released. My review is here.

I also read two graphic novels that I picked up at the library on a whim:

Fangs was pretty charming and funny, and super quick. Sunhead was fairly “meh”, but then again, it’s very clearly aimed for young readers, and the appeal was mostly lost on me. I suppose I’m glad that I gave these both a try — and I’m also glad that they both were fast reads.

Pop culture & TV:

I’m all caught up on Shrinking! I finished season two this past week, and really enjoyed it… and now I’m eagerly awaiting the start of season 3 at the end of January.

I tend not to go to many new movies in theaters these days, and even though there are a few I’d like to see (including some of the movies getting lots of awards buzz), I mostly hold off and wait for streaming. This week, I finally watched Sinners, and was blown away. Besides the sheer entertainment value, there so much more going on beneath the surface. After watching the movie, I fell down a fascinating rabbit hole of reading articles and discussions about the movie’s themes. I think this is one that will need rewatching!

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Murder at Haven’s Rock (Haven’s Rock, #1) by Kelley Armstrong: Yay! I’m starting the Haven’s Rock series, my #1 priority series to read in 2026. This series is a spin-off from the author’s Rockton series, which I loved. I started this book late Sunday, and I’m already hooked.

Now playing via audiobook:

107 Days by Kamala Harris: I’d hoped to have more listening time this week, but even so, I expect to finish within the next day or so. Really interesting audiobook, and I’m enjoying having Kamala Harris herself as the narrator.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: My book group’s current classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 43%. Coming up this week: Chapters 15 & 16.
• The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien: My book group’s journey through the LOTR books continues! Progress (relative to the entire LOTR opus): 66%.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…