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.

Long weekend! It’s so nice to get the extra day to read, relax, putter around, and do whatever I feel like!

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t entirely cooperate. Why does it have to rain on my days off? I felt a little deprived of my usual outdoor weekend fun, but managed to stay busy and entertained anyway.

Bookish bits & bobs:

I know AI is a hot topic, and I tend to avoid “real world” issues on my blog for the most part… but I found this New York Times article — about a so-called author who pumps out hundreds of books per year using AI — particularly disturbing.

On the other hand, John Scalzi’s recent blog post about AI is a nice palate cleanser!

And on a different topic — the blog bots are more intense than ever! I had a day this past week with (supposedly) over 4,000 views. That’s insane. And there’s no discernible pattern or reason for these weird spikes.

Onward…

What did I read during the last week?

I started the week with two different books that just didn’t work particularly well for me: Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean and Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett. I wrote a two-fer post, here, with my thoughts.

Fortunately, I had a much better time with…

An Offer from a Gentleman (Bridgertons, #3) by Julia Quinn: A reread for me via audiobook, while I wait for the 2nd half of the Netflix season to become available. So much fun!

Also read:

Patchwork: A Graphic Biography of Jane Austen by Kate Evans: Such a lovely book! I enjoyed taking my time and savoring this unique approach to Jane Austen’s life and literature. Highly recommended for Austen fans!

Pop culture & TV:

I finished the 3rd season of The Morning Show this past week. I wasn’t sure I’d be into it… and it totally sucked me in. I’d planned to hold off on starting season 4, but after the super dramatic events at the end of season 3, I’m not sure I can wait!

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Cold as Hell (Haven’s Rock, #3) by Kelley Armstrong: After reading a couple of books this week that I didn’t especially enjoy, I decided a reading mood reset was needed! So, I headed back to a series I know I love — and as expected, I’m hooked.

Now playing via audiobook:

Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens: Just started over the weekend! So far, so good, and it seems like this will be lots of fun.

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: 70%. Coming up this week: Chapters 23 & 24.
• 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): 73%.
• I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: My newest Classics Club Spin book! I’m really happy with this spin result. Leaving it here as a reminder to start it in the next few weeks.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…