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.

Everyone in my household was busy elsewhere this weekend, so I had a lot of time to myself… and naturally, spent a big chunk of it reading! But also, it was nice to have a bit of quiet time to catch up on a few phone calls, run some errands I’d been postponing, and get outside for walks (despite the typical fog and overcast skies that we get this time of year).

What did I read during the last week?

First, a popular book that had been on my TBR list since 2025:

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi: Uplifting and lovely, and now I understand why there’s so much buzz about this book. My review is here.

And then, switching gears completely, I tried hockey romance for the first time:

Game Changer and Heated Rivalry (Game Changers series, books 1 & 2) by Rachel Reid: Well, that was certainly an experience! My two-fer write-up is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I needed some low-commitment light viewing this week, and decided to check out Stuart Fails to Save the Universe over on HBO — the Big Bang Theory spin-off I never would have guessed we needed. And guess what? It’s ridiculous and also a lot of fun. Check out the trailer:

Fresh Catch:

One new book this week:

I’ll be starting the audiobook this week… and I’m delighted to have this beautiful hardcover edition to go with it.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison: Time loop with a slasher? Sure, why not? I’ve loved everything I’ve read by this author, so I’m happy to be starting her new book.

Now playing via audiobook:

My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows: I thought I’d have time to finish this audiobook over the weekend, but plans went a bit awry. Anyway, it’s just as much fun as I’d expected, and I should be done in a day or two. Watch for a review later this week.

Ongoing reads:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 77%. Coming up this week: Volume 4, chapters 3 and 4.

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier: My spin book! Yup, just leaving it here until I finally start it — and since I have until October to finish, I’m not in a rush at the moment. (Here’s my post about the Classics Club spin challenge this time around.)

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.

Not much new to report! It was a hectic workweek, but a lovely weekend. Books, walks, and family time… all good!

What did I read during the last week?

The Postcard by Anne Berest: A powerful, important book. I’m so glad my book group chose it for our discussion this month. My review is here.

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel: A startling premise is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of this lovely, engaging, and thought-provoking novel. Highly recommended! My review is here.

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Susan Patterson and James Patterson: I stumbled across this book while looking for a new audiobook on Libby… and since I needed a “book about a book club” for a reading challenge, I decided to give it a try. A nice bookish escape. My review is here.

First Test: Protector of the Small (graphic novel) by Tamora Pierce, adapted by Devin Grayson and Becca Farrow: I’ve had this book on my shelf for a while now, and found myself in the mood for a quick trip to Tortall this week! I’m glad I read it, although it left me wishing there was a follow-up available, and also in the mood to think about rereading one of the Tortall series from start to finish.

To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage: I’m glad I finally read this absorbing book, about a Cherokee woman’s quest to become an astronaut while learning about herself and her family. Not sure yet if I’ll be writing a full review, but I did find it very interesting.

Pop culture & TV:

I watched My Brilliant Career on Netflix, and loved it! With just six episodes, it’s a quick binge, and so well done. The show is an adaptation of the Australian classic by Miles Franklin (which was one of my Classics Club Spin books earlier in the year). Don’t miss it!

And having finished that series, I finally jumped on the bandwagon (very, very late) and watched… Heated Rivalry. I would have sworn that a hockey romance would hold zero interest for me, but I’m forced to admit that I was wrong! I was hooked right away, and loved the characters. I still don’t think I’d be interested in the books… but feel free to try to convince me otherwise.

Fresh Catch:

One new book this week:

I bought this lovely edition of The Time Traveler’s Wife, and I’m looking forward to getting the matching edition of the upcoming sequel in October.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

I haven’t quite decided what to start next, since I just finished a book late Sunday. As of now, I’m leaning toward one of the remaining books from my summer TBR:

• The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
• This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

We’ll see — it’s possible my mood will take me toward something else entirely.

Now playing via audiobook:

My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows: I’m always happy to return to the world of the Jane/Mary books. This book focuses on Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace — with a bit of magic thrown in. I just started this audiobook over the weekend and haven’t gotten very far yet… but so far, it’s a lot of fun.

Ongoing reads:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 76%. Coming up this week: Volume 4, chapters 1 and 2.

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier: My spin book! Here’s my post about the results. This is my 2nd spin in a row to land on a du Maurier book… and I’m very happy about it. The due date is October 4th… which means I probably won’t start just yet, so I’ll leave it here as a reminder until I’m ready to dive in.

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.

Yet another busy week, but the weekend was a little slower-paced, which I was grateful for. We had typical August weather for where I live… overcast, gray, and misty! But that didn’t stop me from getting out for a long walk and checking out events at a nearby park.

It was my son’s birthday on Friday — and while he did most of his celebrating with friends, we were able to start the day with brunch together. Good food, good times!

As for my reading life… this week was the newest Classics Club Spin, and I’m delighted with my result. Check it out below, under my ongoing reads.

Bookish bits & bobs.

Here’s something fun! An author I follow shared this link (https://uncovered.ink/) to a site where the general idea is:

It’s a cool idea — read a sample without knowing what the book is, reveal what it is, and then — if you’re interested — add it to your reading lists.

What did I read during the last week?

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian: Tense, absorbing story with quite a unique premise. My review is here.

Kill the Beast by Serra Swift: Engaging (and surprisingly bloody) fairy tale retelling. I really enjoyed the audiobook. My review is here.

The Postcard by Anne Berest: I spent most of this past week absorbed by this deeply emotional book (my book group’s upcoming discussion book for August). I’ll need a bit of time to gather my thoughts. Watch for my review later in the week.

Everything On It by Shel Silverstein: I’m trying to spend a bit of time each week with some of the random books on my shelves that aren’t fiction — such as children’s books, coffee table/art books, and other books that I enjoy looking at but wouldn’t necessarily read cover to cover. I’m glad I finally opened up this poetry collection. Some of the poems are clever and funny, some didn’t appeal to me… but overall, it was an enjoyable way to spend a few minutes every day!

Also in children’s books, I picked up these two books at the library during my last visit and read them over the weekend. It was nice to finally experience both, after hearing about them for years:

Pop culture & TV:

I’m on a movie theater roll, after months and months of never viewing anything I couldn’t watch from the comfort of my couch. This week, I went to see Six: The Musical, filmed live in London. I’m so glad I did! I’d seen the show on Broadway already, and it was really great to get another chance to enjoy it (without having to pay Broadway prices).

Not to imply that I didn’t fit in plenty of viewing from my couch as well! I finished watching Every Year After on Prime Video, which I mainly enjoyed… although it probably goes without saying that the book is much, much better.

Next up for me: My Brilliant Career (Netflix), adapted from the Australian classic by Miles Franklin, which I read recently as one of my Classics Club Spin books!

Fresh Catch:

Two new books this week:

The paperback of Atmosphere is so pretty — I love how the colors blend over onto the edges. The other book is a manga version of Emma by Jane Austen! I saw it in a bookstore while on vacation last month and regretted not buying it, so I ended up finding a used copy online. I’m not really a manga reader… but how could I resist?

Plus, two new bookish tote bags! One is a new design from Bookshop.org, and I already love it. The other is a prize for participating in our library’s Summer Stride program. I love that adults get rewarded for summer reading, and not just kids!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel: I needed something lighter after reading a very heavy book all week, so I’m just starting this book… which has a premise that sounds bonkers. I’m only a few chapters in, but I like it!

Now playing via audiobook:

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Susan Patterson and James Patterson: I stumbled across this book while looking for a new audiobook on Libby… and since I needed a “book about a book club” for a reading challenge, I decided to give it a try.

Ongoing reads:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 73%. Coming up this week: Volume 3, chapters 12 and 13.

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier: My spin book! Here’s my post about the results. This is my 2nd spin in a row to land on a du Maurier book… and I’m very happy about it. The due date is October 4th… which means I probably won’t start just yet, so I’ll leave it here as a reminder until I’m ready to dive in.

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 been another busy week — lots going on at work, and even at home, I seem to have had my hands full with random errands, organizing, and puttering around. We managed to clean out a closet with all our old beach and snow gear — including our (now adult) kids’ snowboots in every size and seemingly decades worth of long-johns and gloves. It’s so satisfying to see the back and bottom of a closet for the first time in years!

Bookish bits & bobs.

There are some great sales and opportunities in book-world right now, and I especially love seeing ways to buy books and support indie/local bookshops at the same time.

At Bookshop.org, there’s a month-long sale on a curated list of romance novels going on right now:

Check out the full list of eligible books, here.

Libro.fm is also having a romance audiobook sale (8/12 – 8/19) — see eligible book here.

And even more Libro.fm news:

Libro.fm has announced that they’re going to be carrying ebooks too — and even better, that audio and ebooks purchased through Libro will sync. The idea of switching over to Libro.fm gets more and more appealing — see more here.

Don’t forget — when you purchase through Bookshop.org and Libro.fm, you’ll also be supporting the local bookstore of your choice!

What did I read during the last week?

Bromantasy by Máire Roche: I had such a blast reading this light-hearted book! My review is here.

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren: While I usually love this author duo’s books, this one didn’t quite work for me. Check out my review to find out why…

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian: This author’s books never disappoint! I just finished this book late Sunday, and will post a review later this week.

Pop culture & TV:

First things first: I went to see The Odyssey! My son and I bought tickets a couple of weeks ago (in order to grab good seats for an IMAX screening), and saw it this past week. I thought it was fantastic, and so did he (his first words when the lights came up were “that was f’ing amazing!”). I’d actually like to see it again (but will likely wait for streaming) — during this viewing, I was absorbed by the plot and the action, and would like to watch it again to be able to focus more on themes and the storytelling approach.

Back on my couch… I finished watching Star City on AppleTV, and loved it. Check out my thoughts on this terrific series, here.

Beyond that, I’ve been bopping around a bit without getting fully absorbed by any one option. I’m excited to start the new season of Ted Lasso, but want to wait for a bunch of episodes to be available before I jump in. I finally had time to start The Vampire Lestat, expecting to absolutely love it… and I didn’t. Maybe it was just the wrong show at the wrong time? I’m not writing it off completely, but I think I’d better pause for now and come back another time.

I’ve been watching Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro — and it’s just not very good (which is maybe why it feels kind of buried in summer programming). I keep watching, but something about the format and the overall approach isn’t particularly convincing.

Finally, over the weekend, I clicked over to Prime Video to start Every Year After, based on the novel Every Summer After by Carley Fortune (which I loved and which turned me into a Carley Fortune fan!). I’ve only watched a couple of episodes, but I’m enjoying the adaptation so far.

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Postcard by Anne Berest: I’m actually getting an early-ish start on a book group book! Who knows? Maybe I’ll actually finish before our discussion this month!

Now playing via audiobook:

Kill the Beast by Serra Swift: I started this audiobook over the weekend, and was happy to discover that the narrator is one of my favorites — Moira Quirk, who narrates (among many other books) the Parasol Protectorate books by Gail Carriger. Really enjoyable and engaging so far.

Ongoing reads:

Two books I’m taking my time with:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 69%. Coming up this week: Volume 3, chapters 10 and 11.

Everything On It by Shel Silverstein: I finally pulled this children’s book off my shelf, and I’m paging through it slowly, enjoying the silliness and sweetness.

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 August! I love August because it’s my son’s birth month… but I also don’t love it, because I can feel summer slipping away…

My daughter and her husband visited this past week, which was great, but over too soon! She and I managed to find time to go browse and have tea and cake at the new romance bookstore in town. I bought a few books for us both, plus stickers and other goodies — must support our local indie bookstores! So much fun.

The store itself is super cute — the shelves are organized by romance trope, which is pretty adorable (although I could see it be confusing if you walk in wanting the newest book by a favorite author, but don’t know whether to look under grumpy-sunshine or forced proximity!). A few pics from our bookish outing:

Bookish bits & bobs.

What did I read during the last week?

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood: Totally delightful rom-com about a fictional character showing up in his author’s real world. My review is here.

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton: I last read this book literally decades ago, and was surprised to see how much I remembered! I’m so glad I took the time for a reread. Such a powerful book.

Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison: Terrific contemporary fiction about chosen family and time loops! My review is here.

Bromantasy by Máire Roche: Such silly fun! I’ll share a review later this week.

Pop culture & TV:

I went to the movie theater to see the filmed version of Hadestown. It was glorious! I saw the show on Broadway several years ago, and loved getting to see it again this way. While it was originally only supposed to run for five nights, I know it got extended, and I highly recommend checking it out if you have the chance!

My daughter and I also watched The Sheep Detectives! It was just as adorable as expected… and this parody artwork (originally from Fandango, I believe) made me smile:

Fresh Catch:

Here’s what I came home with from our afternoon at the bookstore:

Plus, my daughter and my son-in-law each arrived for their visit bringing me a book! Such nice gifts:

From my daughter, an illustrated edition of Little Women, and from my son-in-law, an Easton Press edition of Pride and Prejudice. Both are gorgeous!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian: I just started last night… and I know I’m always in for a complicated, absorbing read when I start this author’s books.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren: I really didn’t have much listening time this past week, but I finally made progress over the weekend, and hope to finish in the next few days.

Ongoing reads:

Two books I’m taking my time with:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 63%. Coming up this week: Volume 3, chapters 8 and 9.

Everything On It by Shel Silverstein: I finally took this volume off my shelf and decided to read a few pages a day… because why not?

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.

Back to the daily grind! After traveling quite a bit in early July, this week was a return to work and normal routines. All in all, busy but not bad, and we had some lovely weather over the weekend. Highlights of the week included dinner with friends we hadn’t seen in a while, another dinner out for just me and my husband, and my daughter’s arrival yesterday for a week here, which I’m very happy about!

Bookish bits & bobs.

The biggest recent book news (in my opinion!) is the cover and synopsis reveal for Taylor Jenkins Reid’s next book, The Last Days of Vic & Coco, to be released March 2027:

A snippet from the synopsis:

Sharp, seductive, and electric, The Last Days of Vic & Coco is set in the sun-and-shadows world of long desert highways, seedy motels, and dive bars. It’s the story of two women living by their wits, making their own rules, and traveling light. Even though they want different things from life, they swear they will stick together. But can you ever really trust the promises of a hustler?

Who else is excited?

What did I read during the last week?

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman: What a fun kick-off to a new series! My review is here.

Heartstopper, volume 6 by Alice Oseman: A wonderful end to a terrific graphic novel series — even though I’m sad that it’s over. See my link (under pop culture) for thoughts on the end of the Heartstopper era.

Pronoun Trouble by John McWhorter: An entertaining little linguistics book — perfect for word nerds. My quick take is here.

Not With a Bang by Temi Oh: An end-of-the-world novel that’s more about the family at its center than it is about the catastrophic events. Interesting yet uneven; my review is here.

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood: I finished the audiobook yesterday! Such fun. Watch for my review later in the week.

Pop culture & TV:

The wonderful Netflix adaptation of the Heartstopper series ended this month with both a wrap-up movie and a behind-the-scenes short documentary. Check out my Heartstopper thoughts, here.

I didn’t have a whole lot of time to get involved in any other viewing, but I managed to squeeze in the first episode of AppleTV’s Star City, a spin-off of For All Mankind (series review) focusing on the early days of the space race from the Soviet perspective. As you might imagine, it’s fairly bleak, but I’m interested enough to want to keep going.

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison: I really enjoyed this author’s previous book (The Other Side of Now), and I’m excited to be starting her new release.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren: This feels like a great mid-summer audiobook choice! I’m always happy to have a new Christina Lauren book to listen to.

Ongoing reads:

Just one at the moment:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 58%. Coming up this week: Volume 3, chapters 6 and 7.

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 been another whirlwind week! After just a few days back home from my Oregon roadtrip, I headed out of town again to join a friend at a folkdance retreat in New Mexico. It was fantastic to have the time with my friend, plus the dancing was amazing (but exhausting, between the heat and the elevation of the location). I’m so glad I went. Now, back to “regular” life for a while.

What did I read during the last week?

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett: A long, compelling, terrific historical novel. My review is here.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman: The first in a new series by the author of the Thursday Murder Club books. Such fun! I’ll share a review later this week.

Before leaving for my dance event, I squeezed in two short audio listens:

Julia at the Drive-In by Rainbow Rowell: A sweet YA short story.

The Safe Room by Lisa Unger: Really good crime thriller — I would have like it as a full-length novel! Check out Yvonne’s review for more info.

Pop culture & TV:

None! Between traveling and other hecticness, my screen time has been non-existent. I’m sure I’ll get back to my various streaming obsessions this coming week.

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw: This book is so good! It has a bit of a Brigadoon vibe — it’s lovely and mysterious and very atmospheric. I thought I might manage to finish it on the plane yesterday, before my Kindle decided to give me trouble…

Now playing via audiobook:

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood: I’ll be starting this audiobook today. Really looking forward to it!

Ongoing reads:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 55%. Coming up this week: Volume 3, chapters 4 and 5.

Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words by John McWhorter: I haven’t touched this book in over a week, but hope to get back to it (and perhaps even finish) this week. Progress: 56%.

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’m back! My husband and I got back yesterday afternoon from a 10-day road trip through Northern California and Oregon. We had an amazing time! … and I was too exhausted to do much more than throw together a very quick Monday post before heading to bed.

Coming soon: I’m planning to share some trip highlights (hint: lots of waterfalls and Shakespeare!)

A programming note:

I’ll also be away for four days later this week for a friend event… and will most likely be offline the entire time. So — I probably won’t be back to my normal blogging and blog-hopping routine until next week!

What did I read during the last (two) week(s)?

I managed to finish two books prior to hitting the road:

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig: Lovely book, lots of food for thought. My review is here.

Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages by Jenny Colgan: It’s always great to have a new Jenny Colgan book to kick off the summer reading season! My review is here.

While on my trip, I read just one book… but at over 600 pages, getting through it felt like quite an accomplishment!

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett: It took me the full length of my trip, but I finally finished! Very good book. I’ll aim to post a review later this week.

Pop culture & TV:

Absolutely nothing! Other than catching some World Cup highlights (more for my husband than for me), we didn’t have much screen time at all while we were away.

Fresh Catch:

Two new books!

The final volume of Heartstopper arrived! I can’t wait to get started.

While in Ashland, Oregon, we saw an amazing production of Emma — and I just had to buy a copy of the play script. Of course, it won’t compare to seeing it on stage, but I’m eager to read it anyway.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman: I don’t know how much time I’ll have to read in the next few days, but then I’ll be on a plane, and this seems like a great choice for in-flight reading.

Now playing via audiobook:

Julia at the Drive-In by Rainbow Rowell: A new Rainbow Rowell short story seems like the perfect listen for the first half of the week,

Ongoing reads:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe: My book group’s classic read. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 52%. Coming up this week: Volume 3, chapters 2 and 3.

Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words by John McWhorter: A really entertaining linguistics book! I do love this sort of thing. I’m taking a slow approach when it comes to this book, and haven’t touched it since before I went out of town. I’ve read 3 chapters so far. Progress: 56%.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…