On my Nightstand November 8, 2025

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This week has been a tornado of work and kids. I am very ready to cuddle up on these dark nights and read the time away. I’m aiming to finish up some challenges and enjoy some holiday reads these next two months.

Quote of the Week

“It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.”
— The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Finally getting to Summer of my Amazing Luck by Miriam Toews. I like it, but I’ve been reading for a while and am still waiting for something to happen.

Audiobook - I just started the Street by Ann Petry. I like the old fashioned feel.

Physical Book - Still working on 107 Days by Kamala Harris.

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November 2025 TBR

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October Beginning TBR: 490
October Ending TBR: 415

My TBR dropped by quite a bit last month, but that was only because I cleaned it out in anticipation of this year’s Tournament of Books long list. November’s TBR is chock full of titles for #NonFictionNovember and finishing up my 2025 challenges. I’m really excited to read some of these titles so hopefully that TBR number will drop some more- until the Long List comes out around November that is.

My November TBR

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

The Great Derangement by Amitav Ghosh

AI Valley by Gary Rivlin

A Town With Half The Lights On by Page Getz

Heaven’s Keep by William Kent Krueger

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis

Black Wolf by Louise Penny

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Across The Airless Wilds by Earl Swift

The Gales of November by John U Bacon

Persuasion by Jane Austen

The Art of Losing by Alice Zeniter

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Different Seasons by Stephen King

Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin

A Night To Remember by Walter Lord

The Millionaire and the Bard by Andrea Mays

107 Days by Kamala Harris

Unshrinking by Kate Mann

The Sisters From Hardscrabble Bay by Beverly Jensen

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On my Nightstand November 1, 2025

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I’m back! I ended up unintentionally taking a few weeks off due to family reasons good and bad, but I missed my little space here. I can’t believe it’s November already. I need a do-over on October.

Quote of the Week

“Mr. Welland was a mild and silent man, with no opinions but with many habits.”
— The End of the Innocence by Edith Wharton

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - I’m finishing up The Dark Maestro by Brendan Slocumb. I’m enjoying it. His characters are great.

Audiobook - I just started The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb. Not going to lie, the opening scene of this one shook me and I’m not sure I’ll keep going.

Physical Book - 107 Days by Kamala Harris - I’ve heard good things, but haven’t started yet.

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Show Us Your Books October 2025

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Fall means reading while i wait for field hockey games and cross country meets to start

I just wrote 2015 instead of 2025 and it took me a while to catch my mistake. Where have the years gone? And why is my TBR so long :)

September was a decent reading month although I had major concentration issues some days. I’m sure I’m not alone.

Here my 4 and 5 star reads from September:

We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly - Three middle school siblings are each struggling in a different way.

I really loved this middle grade novel although I object to historical fiction taking place in the 80’s.

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - I loved the offbeat characters in this book. Half a star off for the ending which was not what I wanted.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton - Another book club read with great characters, although in a different way from Brideshead. This one had a great sense of time and place as well.

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue - What would you do if a technical mistake allowed you to read all of the messages flying through your office?

This was a fun but deep book. Good on audio.

With A Star In My Hand by Margarita Engle - I enjoyed this biography in verse about the Nicaraguan poet Ruben Dario.

Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick - A very interesting book about international adoption mainly US families adopting from China. The author researched a lot of the book in late 2019 and her trips to China at that time made it all the more interesting.

Beach Music by Pat Conroy - Another sweeping masterpiece by Pat Conroy. After his wife’s suicide Jack leaves the US with his daughter to heal in Italy. South Carolina finds him though and carries him back. This almost 1,000 page book covered everything from WWII to the Vietnam War and beyond.

Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry - One of the better cozies I’ve read this year. A mom and daughter escape their messy life to a rural cabin in Washington state. Mom needs to write her next book and daughter needs to heal from the trauma of being abandoned by her Dad. Unfortunately there is murder. And Bigfoot.

Katrina: After The Flood by Gary Rivlin - A sad book on a sad day. I’m glad I read it though. Like any other big, sad, emotional event I didn’t really have my facts straight. Rivlin is a good writer and I’ll read more of his books in the future.

Happy Reading!

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On My Nightstand October 11, 2025

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fall roses

I am loving the rainy and dark weather this weekend. It’s perfect for reading! We’re also super busy with homecoming, senior nights, club teams, work, a dead car, and trying to live in this upside down world. I hope everyone is doing okay out there.

Have a good week everyone.

Quote of the Week

“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
— 1984 by George Orwell

kitty reads

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Under The Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan - Historical fiction featuring the wife of Robert Lewis Stevenson.

Audio - Not sure honestly. I just finished 1984 and I have a lot of options.

Paper - In The Hall With A Knife by Diana Peterfreund - Had to put this aside last week because of a book club read, but am planning on finishing it this weekend.

happy reading!

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On My Nightstand October 4, 2025

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October is here!

Yay October! To me it’s the best reading month of the year. I have a stack of about 12 million books I want to get to in between picking pumpkins and baking pies. So that’s totally realistic.

Have a good week everyone.

Quote of the Week

“Catastrophe is never convenient.”
— The Last Days of the Dinosaurs by Riley Black

reading on my way to work

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Started this week for a buddy read. So far, so good. We’re reading a chapter a day.

Audio - Sisters In The Wind by Angeline Boulley - I am so excited Boulley has a new book out. I have loved all of her previous books.

Paper - In The Hall With A Knife by Diana Peterfreund - I checked this out from the library on impulse and it is so much fun.

happy reading!

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On My Nightstand September 27, 2025

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when the sun comes out after a miserable gray day i come running!

We had the flu this week. We’re just getting back in the swing of things.

I had been wanting a place to write about cooking and food prep so I started a substack. If you’re interested here it is - Pound Cake and Mint Tea.

Have a good week everyone.

Quote of the Week

“Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.”
— Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

cards from my book friends

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough - I’ve been dipping in and out of this for years. It’s so melodramatic, but I love it.

Audio - Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut - Listening to this for a book club. It’s well written but I’m not in the mood.

Paper - Smile Beach Murder by Alicia Bessette - Mysteries are good when the world is a mess. They always have a clear ending.

i want to be a cat

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On My Nightstand September 20, 2025

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butterflies were everywhere outside my pt’s office this week!

Another full week of sports, work, and school. I’m just trying to soak it all up. I don’t have too many years left with these kids in my house.

I had been wanting a place to write about cooking and food prep so I started a substack. If you’re interested here it is - Pound Cake and Mint Tea.

Have a good week everyone.

Quote of the Week

“You knew there was a ghost cat, and you didn’t tell me about it when we were discussing ghosts earlier?”
— Something Whiskered by Miranda James

she brought me her favorite toy and put it on my book

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Buried In A Good Book by Tamara Berry - I’m still working on this. It’s not bad for a kindle freebie!

Audio - Beach Music by Pat Conroy - Pat Conroy could write. I’m slowly making my way through all of his books. This one is a chunkster so I’ll have it for a while.

Paper - Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - Loving this one! What a trip!

first pumpkin from my garden

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Show Us Your Books

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nancy drew giving some side eye

August seems like a thousand years ago, but looking back I did read some good books I’m excited to share.

Here are the best of them, in no particular order.

Best Reads From August 2025

The View From lake Como by Adriana Trigiani - I was so happy to have a new Trigiani book to keep me company last month. I’ve been reading her books forever, and they don’t disappoint. In this one Jess, the youngest in a large family, finally learns to reach for what she wants rather than what she’s expected to do.

Last Days of the Dinosaurs by Riley Black - The former kindergartner in me was so excited to read a book about dinosaurs. Weirdly, my favorite parts were not about the dinosaurs but about the ferns and the appendix where the author explained the thought process behind each chapter. I wish this was available for every book!

The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway - I read these short stories last month during our Northern Michigan mini break and enjoyed them. I have never been able to get through Hemingway’s novels, but these short stories were just right.

The Road To Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett - This book started slowly for me, but by the end I loved this quirky story and the characters. Great on audio. Pancakes and gang were good company on a busy day.

Tilt by Emma Pattee - This book about a pregnant woman caught in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Oregon was good but super stressful. It was my most anticipated summer reading book, and while it didn’t end up being my favorite it was very readable.

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On My Nightstand September 13, 2025

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this cat means business

I think I’m starting to adjust to the fall schedule (I probably shouldn’t say that out loud. Sorry, universe.) I was in a definite reading slump the first half of this month, but I finished some good books this week. Fingers crossed for all of this.

I had been wanting a place to write about cooking and food prep so I started a substack. If you’re interested here it is - Pound Cake and Mint Tea.

Have a good week everyone.

Quote of the Week

“Just wait, starts off every piece of advice that anyone gives a pregnant woman. You’re tired now? Just wait. you’re anxious and scared now? Just wait. You think you’ve felt love? Just wait. As if there is another choice.”
— Tilt by Emma Pattee

a random banana in a tree at the library

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Buried In A Good Book by Tamara Berry - In my never ending quest to get all of the free cozies off my kindle I’m going to start this today.

Audio - I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue - I started this yesterday and it’s touching and funny at the same time.

Paper - Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - I have no idea why this is taking me so long to read, but I’m almost done. I like it, just don’t think to pick it up.

amazingly delicious tacos from a food truck last week

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On My Nightstand September 6, 2025

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sunrise reading on my way to work

I have been so thrown off this week. I keep mixing up my days and I have constantly had to remind myself where I’m supposed to be. And is that scratch in my throat allergies or the start of some dread disease? Ah, it must be September.

Quote of the week:

“He’s said nothing. He’s just said, ‘The world works pretty well as is for me.’”
— Woodworking by Emily St. James

reading with a kitty

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Katrina by Gary Rivlin - This isn’t an easy book to read, but it’s very informative.

Audiobook - Table For Two by Amor Towles - Short stories are great for my short attention span this week. I’m enjoying this collection.

Paper Book - Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - Still working on this, but at 400 pages it’s taking me a while to get through.

watermelon juice

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On My Nightstand August 30, 2025

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kitty says hi

I’m slowly getting used to the new schedule around here, but glad for the long weekend. Here’s hoping we can catch our breath a bit. I have three books picked out for the long weekend. Let’s see if I can make it happen.

Quote of the week:

“My goal is to make it into the arms of my Savior without having to install another app.”
— The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

storm clouds form but we still have no rain

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani - Almost done with this one. A great end of summer read.

Audiobook - There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraquib - I got mixed up and thought this was a different book when I downloaded it. Now that I’ve adjusted though I’m enjoying it.

Paper Book - Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - Emily Henry is a summer must read for me.

Butterfly baby on my porch wall

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Walking Wednesday August 27, 2025

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I have been getting my steps in, but they’re all running round steps not intentional walk steps. I always seem to have this issue every time my schedule changes- which it seems to do every 2 months or so. I’ll figure it out eventually!

I’m between audiobooks and mostly listening to podcasts at the moment. I have a few more books on my list for August so eventually I will settle on one.

On My Nightstand August 23, 2025

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visits from a dragonfly

There was a lot going on this week, and it just flew by. Both kids had orientation this week on top of sports practices and scrimmages. I work in DC so that’s been interesting. There are painters at the house. And the weather is weird due to Erin. I have liked my books, but not loved anything. I’m not sure if that’s my mood or the books I’ve been picking.

Quote of the week:

“The years came and went like the fingerling waves inside the lagoon, tickling the stilt roots of the mangroves, then stepping away.”
— A Tortise For The Queen of Tonga by Julia Whitty

hi there

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani - I love Trigiani’s books, and am looking forward to starting this tonight.

Audiobook - The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen - I started this book on Kindle but was having trouble getting through it. So far it’s going better on audio.

Paper Book - Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr - I’m about halfway through this one and enjoying it. I’m excited to find a new series to read.

summer sunsets

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Trapped In A Spooky House

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This year I am participating in Trapped In A Spooky House on Litsy. Basically someone will pick five books from this list for me to read in October. I can’t wait!

Here’s my list. I’m including all things murder, mystery, and spooky from my list.

1) The Murders in Great Diddling by Katarina Bivald

2) Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

3) Ghosted by Amanda Quain

4) Bitter Harvest by Wendy Tyson

5) The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

6) The Crash by Freida McFadden

7) The Bane Witch Ava Morgyn

8) Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey

9) Outback by Patricia Wolf

10) The Boomerang by Robert Bailey

11) Twenty Years Later Charlie Donlea

12) Death of A Novice by Cora Harrison

13) These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

14) The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

15) The Cat Who Saw Red by Lilian Jackson Braun

16) Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien

17) Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber

18) Burn by Peter Heller

19) The Unmothers by Leslie Anderson

20) Sunburn by Laura Lippman

Walking Wednesday August 20, 2025

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A few pics from home and a few pics from vacation. I’m still in limbo here. I can pack in about 20 minutes but it takes me 2 weeks minimum to unpack from even the shortest of trips.

I started listening to Cujo by Stephen King this week. It’s an odd listen because the narrator sounds a lot like the narrator from the Little House on the Prairie books. I need to research and see if it actually is.

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On My Nightstand August 16, 2025

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a leaf from my walk yesterday

I found my first fall leaf yesterday. Hopefully that’s more to do with the most recent heat wave and drought and not a sign that summer is over. Although the kids are already back at sports and have orientation next week. I am going to enjoy this year to the fullest since they will actually both be on the same schedule.

We had trips to New Hampshire and Michigan in the weeks since I’ve posted. Both were fun and beautiful, but boy am I glad to be home. I missed my bed, my cats, and my kitchen.

Quote of the week:

“She ventured on having her lunch brought upon a tray into the drawing-room, so that she might eat her sandwiches while she went on with her book.”
— Wives and Daughtes by Elizabeth Gaskell

sleeping bear dunes in michigan

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven - I loved her book Search, so I snapped this up as soon as it became available from the library. It’s a good, quick read so far.

Audiobook - Deenie by Judy Blume - For a reading challenge on Litsy. What a blast from the past!

Paper Book - Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr - I’m excited to finally start this National Parks series.

Bald knob in new hampshire

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