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 the new year… so it’s back to work for most of us. Sigh… the holiday feeling had to end eventually! I hope everyone had a festive New Year celebration and found time to relax, enjoy, and read over the holidays!

At my house, we had out-of-town guests, including my daughter and her fiancé, and local friends threw them a shower while they were here. So lovely to have happy reasons to gather and celebrate!

Celebrating Hanukkah with our extended family was really terrific, with multiple days and nights of candles, singing, gifts, and games.

Little Free Library update:

My husband decided that my LFL wouldn’t stand up to another storm like the last one we had, and so he dug a hole, poured cement, and made my little library a whole lot more stable! It’s now back in business, and I’ve been happy to see more books coming and going.

Someone actually took the big, fat readers’ encyclopedia for Shakespeare and some acting-lesson books! (Although no one has grabbed the Insurance Law book that showed up recently… wonder why?) Meanwhile, I’m still weeding through some boxes of books that I had stored away, and I’ll be using them to restock over the coming weeks.

It’s so nice to have my LFL back!

What did I read during the last week?

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst: Sweet cozy fantasy. See below for the review link!

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune: My last book of 2024! I wrote a two-fer review post for this book plus The Spellshop; read it here.

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children, #10) by Seanan McGuire: A brilliant addition to the ongoing Wayward Children series — I just loved this one. My review is here.

The Thorns Remain by JJA Harwood: Finished late Sunday; review to follow. This was a good one!

Pop culture & TV:

With so much going on, I’ve barely had time for TV — which is fine! I’ve been keeping up with new Outlander episodes, but that’s about it. This week’s was a doozy, and there’s just one more to go!

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Apology by Jimin Han: My book group discussion of this book is later this week, and I’m late getting started! I’m hoping to finish in time for our get-together.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler: My listening time has been pretty limited lately, but I finally made progress over the weekend. This holiday romance is tugging at my heartstrings! I should be able to listen to the last few chapters by mid-week.

Ongoing reads:

My book group’s classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. We’re starting back up this week after a break for the holidays. Progress: 15%. Up next: Chapters 8 and 9.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

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’s Hanukkah! The holiday got off to a great start, with family time, menorah lighting, and a cutthroat dreidel competition. It’s been a blast… and the nice thing about an eight-day holiday is — it’s not over yet!

What did I read during the last week?

Between the holiday and family get-togethers, I didn’t actually get much time to read at all. Here’s what I finished this past week:

Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot: Delightful Hanukkah-themed romance. My review is here.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: This book won the Goodreads Choice Award for science fiction, but I found it a letdown. My review is here.

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune: Another terrific audiobook by Carley Fortune! Finished late Sunday; review to follow.

Pop culture & TV:

Virgin River season 6 was actually fun! Yes, it’s exactly what you’d expect… but I’ve come to love the small town vibe, and the wedding felt like a huge payoff after all these seasons.

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week. And based on my look back at my book buying during 2024, I really don’t need to buy any more books for a long, long time…

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst: I’m enjoying this cozy fantasy tale, but my reading time has been really scattered. Hoping to finish today or tomorrow!

Now playing via audiobook:

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler: My library hold finally came in! I’ll be starting this audiobook today (if I can squeeze in any listening time).

Ongoing reads:

My book group’s newest classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week (except over the holidays). Progress: 15%. Currently on hold; resuming out group read on January 6th.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

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.

This past week was… weird. I was exactly sick, but I wasn’t fine either. For about four or five days, I was dealing with dizziness and light-headedness. I still worked (from home), but didn’t feel steady enough to drive or go for walks. Very frustrating. And not only did I not really feel like myself, but my lack of driving and walking meant that I also didn’t listen to audiobooks!

Over the weekend, I did bounce back a bit — still not 100%, but I forced myself to try for a bit more activity, including wrapping gifts, getting the house ready for holiday guests, and even venturing out for mini-walks in between rain showers.

Luckily, I had excellent help while I wrapped gifts!

Little Free Library — not quite back in action…

The week before last, a major storm blew over my LFL, but we managed to put it back together and get it back up and running! It seems like it’s been busy — I keep discovering new books in it when I go out to check on it.

We’ve decided to get a new post and set it into the concrete of our driveway, rather than keeping it in its flowerpot. The current setup is pretty, but as the last storm showed, not stable enough! In fact, it’s starting to tip again, so with very sad feelings, we’re moving it inside for now, rather than risk further damage. The new post should arrive before New Year’s… fingers crossed that this will be a better solution.

What did I read during the last week?

City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong: I absolutely loved this thriller, and since it’s the first in a seven book series, I’m excited to have so many more books to look forward to! My review is here.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer: Sweet and whimsical and wonderful. My review is here.

Hogfather (Discworld, #20) by Terry Pratchett: Terry Pratchett’s writing is always a delight — but I found myself losing interest in the plot of Hogfather the farther along I read. Lots of fun little scenes and all the quirky humor you’d expect, but the story as a whole didn’t work for me. I thought this would be a good choice for the week leading up to the holidays. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to indulge in a Discworld book after all.

Pop culture & TV:

I think I’ve run out of things to say about Survivor. The season finale went exactly as expected… and just further demonstrates that the show really needs to rethink some of its structure. I’m tired of my favorite players going out at 4 or 5, and having an utterly boring set of finalists to choose from. (Online chatter shows that most people loved the outcome this season, so I’m an outlier on this.) Will I be back for another season? Well, probably. It’s become such a tradition chez moi… but it’s definitely treading and retreading the same old ground.

On the other hand…

A Man on the Inside was a delight! If you haven’t watched it yet, please go to Netflix ASAP and check it out! The show is funny and clever, but also very touching. Terrific cast, quick pace, and some lovely emotional moments. I’m so glad there will be a season 2!

Fresh Catch:

Two new books this week:

• The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer: I just had to buy myself a copy of this book, after reading it earlier in the week and loving it!
• Schemes & Scandals by Kelley Armstrong: Beautiful hardcover edition of this Rip Through Time novella, from Subterranean Press .

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: I swore that I’d read this one before the end of the year. I’m just getting started, but at least I’ll meet my reading goal!

Now playing via audiobook:

Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot: Such a terrific Hanukkah romance! Because of my health challenge this past week, I made only a teensy bit of progress — but one more good listening session should do it.

Ongoing reads:

My book group’s newest classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week (except over the holidays). Progress: 13%. Coming up this week: Chapters 7… and then a little break until after New Year.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

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 finished my holiday shopping! Whew. Some items will be shipping across the country, and a whole bunch will be delivered here for when we have our family celebrations. I’m so glad to be done!

Meanwhile… earlier in the year, my daughter gifted me a scratch-off book poster, and I finally got it dry-mounted and put up on a wall. Here’s the before:

And here’s after I starting scratching:

It’s so cute!

A little tragedy for the Little Free Library:

Heavy rain and wind gusted in over the weekend, resulting in a mini-disaster…

My LFL blew over during the night! Fortunately, the library box itself isn’t damaged, but I woke up in the morning to see quite a mess out in front of my house. The bookmark holder was in the street and all the paper bookmarks were strewn across the sidewalk, soaking wet. The books themselves didn’t fare very well. Some books were completely saturated — it was painful to throw them in the recycling bin, but they just weren’t salvageable. Still, more than half of the books stayed inside the LFL when it toppled and just ended up damp, so I think they’ll be more or less fine once they dry out.

After debating whether to keep the LFL inside the garage for the rest of the rainy season, we decided to move it back outside, try to strengthen the supports around the post, and keep an eye on the weather for future storms! We’ll be more diligent about moving it under a shelter if the forecast looks iffy going forward… but meanwhile, it’s back out there and full of books.

What did I read during the last week?

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne: Dark and disturbing. My review is here.

Two holiday audio shorts: Booked for the Holidays by Liz Maverick and The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan. Check out my quick take, here.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall: Interesting concepts, but I didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped to. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

Well, that’s all for Yellowstone! I loved the first several seasons, but this last half-season leading up to Sunday’s series finale was uneven, to see the least. Still, the finale tied up all the story threads, and gave most characters a satisfying send off.

Survivor season 47 will be wrapping up this week. It’s not been great — anyone I was rooting for is already out, the final four are not particularly exciting, and unless something truly shocking happens, it’s easy to see who the winner will be. Yawn.

Fresh Catch:

I enjoyed this middle grade novel so much that I decided I needed a copy of my own, and was able to find a hardcover in nice condition on Ebay.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong: I’ve been wanting to read Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton series, and I’ve finally started! I’m hooked, and can’t wait to see where the story goes. I have a feeling I’ll be speeding my way through the whole series.

Now playing via audiobook:

Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot: More Hanukkah romance! I’m about halfway through, and it’s a lot of fun.

Ongoing reads:

My book group’s newest classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 9%. Coming up this week: Chapters 5 and 6.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

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.

We’re having surprisingly sunny weather for early December, and it’s been glorious getting some outdoor time. There was that tsunami warning earlier in the week… no tsunami actually occurred, but it was certainly startling to get the VERY URGENT alert on my phone!

Somehow, I ended up super busy over the weekend, with errands and odd jobs around the house and a nice get-together with friends. I don’t regret any of it! But it does mean that a book I thought I’d finish in a day or two has been severely neglected…

What did I read during the last week?

The Return by Rachel Harrison: Deliciously creepy. My review is here.

The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady: Really enjoyable story of sisters breaking out of their comfort zones. My review is here.

The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain: A terrific new Regency romance. My review is here.

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell: A warm, lovely middle grade novel. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I saw Wicked this week! I had plans to see it a couple of weeks ago, but the person I was going with got sick — and we finally managed to find a new date that worked for us both. Overall, I really liked it… except it’s too long and drags a bit from time to time. Still, the musical numbers are great, and I’m glad I saw it!

On Netflix, I started watching A Man on the Inside, and it’s so much fun! Ted Danson is charming, and it’s a quick watch (just eight 30-minute episodes). I’ve watched four so far, and hope to finish today or tomorrow.

Fresh Catch:

My Black Friday gifts to myself arrived this week:

A lovely hardcover edition of Weyward, and the Puffin in Bloom edition of Sense and Sensibility. They’re both so pretty!

Little Free Library updates:

We had several people stop by and drop off various paperbacks this week — it’s nice to see the little library looking a bit fuller!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne: It took me a while to get into this book, probably because I was only able to read in little bits and pieces for the first few days after I started it — but once I really dug into it over the weekend, it started zooming by! As of writing this post late Sunday, I’m close to the end, and can’t wait to see how it turns out!

I haven’t quite decided what to tackle next, but I think it will be one of these three:

Now playing via audiobook:

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan: What a treat! A new holiday story from Jenny Colgan! It’s very short, so I should be finished later today.

Ongoing reads:

My book group’s newest classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 4%. Coming up this week: Chapters 3 and 4.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

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 hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! And just like that… it’s December! I made it through the long weekend without indulging in TOO much online shopping. Couldn’t resist a new tunnel for our kitty, though…

We had a small family gathering for Thanksgiving — just six of us — and it was really nice, then saw friends over the weekend, and had time to relax and unwind a bit too.

And now, back to the grind… and a busy upcoming week at work.

What did I read during the last week?

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff: Just as charming as everyone says! My review is here.

Coming Home by Brittney Griner: Powerful, must-read memoir. My review is here.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi: Sweet and heart-warming. My review is here.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston: Fun romance involving an avid reader who stumbles into her favorite fictional town. My review is here.

The Return by Rachel Harrison: SO creepy. Review to follow, later this week.

Pop culture & TV:

Another new episode of Outlander! These once-per-week shows just kill me… This season is very good so far, but I wish I could binge it all at once. As for the newest episode — man, this show is covering a lot of ground! So much happens in this 2nd episode. I’m so curious to see how far through the books they’ll be by the end of the season.

In other TV viewing, I finished A Body That Works on Netflix, an Israeli series about surrogacy. Lots of soapy drama, but some really strong episodes too.

And as cheesy as it can be, Dancing with the Stars was actually a lot of fun this season. I was happy with the top two finishers, and overall, really enjoyed following the show week after week.

Fresh Catch:

I gave in to temptation and ordered a few books on sale for Black Friday… but have to wait a week for them to arrive!

Little Free Library updates:

One new book showed up this week — The Color of Water by James McBride — plus I added a few more old paperbacks from my shelves.

Some of the books currently in my LFL have been there for weeks now. I’m always curious to see which books gets taken and which just stay and stay.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain: This author’s Regency romances are such fun! I’m happy to be starting her newest, due for release next week.

After that, I’ll be back to working my way through the stack of books that I meant to read earlier in the year. Top priority at the moment:

Now playing via audiobook:

The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady: I’m really close to the end! Enjoying it a lot — this author was new to me this year, and now I’m caught up!

Ongoing reads:

Starting this week! My book group’s newest classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. Beginning today, we’ll be reading and discussing two chapters per week. I’m happy for the chance to reread this classic!

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

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 (almost) Thanksgiving! It feels like the holiday has stretched to include the entire week in recent years. I’m still working this week, but it feels like a lot of people have already checked out. I’m looking forward to days off at the end of the week, and spending the holiday with family!

We had major rainstorms this past week, so my usual outdoor activities were mostly cancelled. I made up for it with family chill time, plus lots of reading.

What did I read during the last week?

The Answer Is No by Fredrik Backman: A quirky, funny short story. My review is here.

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott: My Classics Club Spin book — loved it! My review is here.

Weyward by Emilia Hart: A 5-star read! My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

Outlander is back! After a Droughtlander of more than a year, the 2nd half of season 7 has started. The first of the new episodes dropped on Friday, and I loved it.

I started a new (to me) Israeli series on Netflix, A Body That Works. I’m about halfway through, and I’m enjoying it… although my overall impression is going to depend on how they resolve certain elements. As of the midpoint, I’d say it’s worth checking out.

Fresh Catch:

I didn’t buy any books this week!

Little Free Library updates:

This week in my Little Free Library:

One ratty old instruction manual was added… but the four or five terrific paperbacks someone dropped off last week all seem to have found new homes! (I’m getting a kick out of seeing what comes and goes each week… and which books seem to stay and stay and stay)

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff: This book keeps coming up as a should-really-read book for me, and I decided to finally make it happen. (It helps that my library branch had a copy on the shelf when I stopped by over the weekend).

Once I finish, I’ll be starting one of these — all of which have been high on my reading pile for a while now:

I’m not quite sure which one I’ll start first, but I’m excited to finally have time for any or all of them!

Now playing via audiobook:

Coming Home by Brittney Griner: I’m so close to the end! I think I need another half-hour or so of listening time to wrap this up. I’ll share my thoughts later in the week — very powerful and moving memoir.

Next, I plan to go for a lighter listen, most likely this one:

I recently finished the audio version of this author duo’s first novel and really liked it, so I’m up for more.

Ongoing reads:

Coming soon! My book group’s newest classic read will be Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re starting in early December, and will be reading and discussing two chapters per week. This will be a reread for me, and I’m looking forward to it.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

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 had a super busy day on Saturday, starting with an early-morning book group Zoom with an author, then a mid-day outdoor dance session, and then even more dancing in the evening! Luckily, I had an unstructured Sunday to just chill, go for a walk, read, and do lots of nothing.

What did I read during the last week?

Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: What fun! My book group’s classic read wrapped up this past week. This book is silly and adorable, and I look forward to reading more of the Jeeves books.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See: Excellent historical fiction — 5 stars! My review is here.

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady: Really enjoyable audiobook about long-lost half-sisters getting a second chance to build a relationship. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I was at a bit of loose ends, and decided to watch a movie I’d been meaning to get to — Damsel (Netflix). It was… okay. A bit too much time devoted to Millie Bobby Brown running around in a cave in increasingly shredded clothing, but overall, entertaining enough.

Fresh Catch:

I didn’t buy any books this week!

Little Free Library updates:

I thought it might be fun to share updates on books people leave in my Little Free Library.

New this week:

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (funny, since I just finished reading my own copy last week)
• A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
• The Circle by Dave Eggers
• The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
• To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
• Strider by Beverly Cleary

Looks like someone must have been offloading their literary fiction! And it’s sweet to see a children’s classic in the mix as well. A few unwanted books showed up that I’ve already removed, including a couple of super flimsy guides to real estate deals. Why leave those in a LFL???

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott: My current Classics Club Spin book!

Now playing via audiobook:

Coming Home by Brittney Griner: I’ve been waiting for my library hold for this audiobook for months now, and it’s finally available! I started it yesterday — it’s really personal and powerful to listen to.

Ongoing reads:

None right now! My book group’s next classic read starts early December — and meanwhile, it’s kind of nice to have no “obligation” books to worry about.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…