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.

I felt silly last year when I bought myself rain gear (pants and top)… but this weekend I was so happy that I had them! I was not about to let a little rain (OK, a lot of rain) keep me from the walks I’d been dying for all week! Despite the gusty winds, I stayed dry, got in a couple of good beach and park walks, and felt super satisfied by the time I got home.

Other than that, it’s been an intense work week, but I managed to squeeze in a little dancing, a jigsaw puzzle, and time for some phone catch-ups with long-distance friends.

Unfortunately, my reading time has been really limited apart from a few scattered hours over the weekend. Here’s hoping for a mellower week with a lot more book time ahead!

What did I read during the last week?

A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong: Dark, twisty YA thriller. My review is here.

Just Kiss Already by Lily Chu: Really enjoyable audiobook romance. My review is here.

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien: My book group’s journey through the LOTR books wrapped up this past week! I loved revisiting the books with my group… and may continue delving into the related stories and lore on my own in weeks to come.

Book news:

I was delighted to see a cover reveal from Jen DeLuca, announcing the upcoming release of a 5th Ren Faire book! Well Versed will be published in September 2026. Can’t wait!

Puzzle of the week:

When I saw an ad for this puzzle pop up on my social feeds, I was drawn to the image and the gorgeous colors. The puzzle company isn’t one I’d tried before, and I’m often wary about unknown (to me) puzzle makers, since materials and quality can vary so much.

Still, the puzzle looked so pretty that I decided to give it a chance, and I’m glad I did! The pieces are sturdy and well cut, and while it doesn’t have quite the snap/click that makers like Ravensburger have, I was pleased with the overall piece design (and only ran into a few issues with pieces seeming like they could fit in more than one place).

The puzzle make is Playview, and this puzzle is part of their Cities at Midnight series. You can find it on Amazon, here.

Pop culture & TV:

I finished season 3 of XO Kitty on Netflix. I’m not sure why I find it so charming… but I just do! I hope another season is in the works.

I loved the season finale of Shrinking! What an amazing show.

I find myself in between once again, debating various options for what to watch next… but I’m leaning toward the most recent season of Dark Winds, which is just a consistently excellent series.

Fresh Catch:

One of my recent Goodreads giveaway wins arrived this week!

Also new this week: I received two copies of the Good Morning America book club pick for April, thanks to a Little Free Library giveaway for stewards. Exciting! The books will be going into my LFL once the rain stops… meanwhile, I may need to try to sneak in a read before they both find new homes.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer: I’m really enjoying this book… and I’m frustrated that I didn’t have as much time for reading over the weekend as I wanted! I hope to finish in the next day or two.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Name Game by Beth O’Leary: I’m always up for trying a new release from Beth O’Leary! I’ve just barely gotten started, but I like the premise so far.

Ongoing reads:

My book group is kicking off a new classic read this week — and this one looks like it’ll be a doozy:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: After reading Northanger Abbey as a group, we’ve decided to read one of the books that Catherine Morland was obsessed with. Coming up this week: Chapters 1 and 2.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…