Given the holidays I actually got to walk all over instead of around my one block last week. Back to normal this week. I’m actually looking forward to getting back on schedule.
This week I’m listening to Travels With George by Nathaniel Philbrick for a US presidents reading challenge.
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winter sunrise
Happy New Year! Despite all indications from the world around me I am beginning this year with optimism. Fingers crossed, you know?
Anyway, operation break the reading slump is going well. Let’s just hope this keeps up next week when we get back to our normal schedule.
Happy reading everyone!
Quote of the Week
“People care. They care a lot. They just don’t know what to do to help.”
dominoes!
Kindle - I’m working on The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward. So far the Tournament of Books 2026 list has been a good one. Hope this one keeps up.
Audiobook - I’m doing a challenge to read about the presidents in order this year starting with George Washington. So I got Travels With George by Nathaniel Philbrick from the library.
Physical Book - I went back to A Chesapeake Requiem by Earl Swift after letting it fall by the wayside last summer. It’s a good book. Life just got away from me.
national harbor in maryland
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The awakening sculpture at national harbor in maryland
December Beginning TBR: 415
December Ending TBR: 448 (Thanks Tournament of Books)
I’m excited to kick off the 2026 reading year. I started a whole new reading journal and am starting all of my global reading challenges all over again. There’s nothing like a fresh start, is there?
December was rough and I haven’t been reading much, and what I did read was mostly re-reads. Hopefully I’ll be back to my bookworm ways in January. A lot of these books are from the Tournament of Books 2026 long list which I am very excited about.
Here is my January TBR.
The Mobius Book by Catherine Lacey
Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
Troubling the Water by Abby Seiff
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller
Crouching Lizard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews
Travels With George by Nathaniel Philbrick
Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Guiffre
Romeo and Juliet: A Novel by David Hewson
The Burning Heart of the World by Nancy Kricorian
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephan Graham Jones
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Chesapeake Requiem by Earl Swift
Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay
The Last Emperor of Mexico by Edward Shawcross
Stolen by Ann-Helen Leestadius
Happy reading!
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It’s a hard time of year to get outside during the day. Add to that the sub freezing weather, and walking has not been great. I wonder if there’s a way to listen to audiobooks while swimming indoors.
I started listening to The Beastie Boys Book. It’s fun!
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last weekend’s read
I’m up early working today. It’s dark outside but at least I have my sun lamp to wake me up. January is the worst.
Quote of the Week:
“Only juvenile delinquents are still awake at eleven at night.”
What I’m Reading This Week:
Kindle: Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson - Reading this a chapter a day with a group on Litsy. I don’t love it, but I can see why it would make a good TV show.
Audiobook: Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu - This is the one I’m looking forward to the most from the 2025 Tournament of Books. Fingers crossed.
Paper: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - This week didn’t work out for reading at night. Will try again this week.
tournament reading
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Whew, it’s definitely winter walking weather out there. With no holiday decorations to look at I’ve been changing my routes so that I can find new things. Pretty soon I’ll be seeing signs of spring- or at least that’s what I tell myself!
I’m listening to The Mysterious Affair at Styles for a buddy read. The discussion isn’t until the end of the month, but the library wants it back sooner than that.
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This week I’ve had to walk home on the opposite side of the road than I’m used to because of construction. It’s amazing how that changes my perspective! There’s a life lesson in there somewhere I’m sure.
It’s still a gray time of the year, but I’m seeing more and more green popping up here and there. I’m hoping for one more good snow storm though. Fingers crossed.
A back episode of The Overdue Podcast has me interested in Percy Jackson, so I’m listening to The Lightning Thief. I listened to this in the car years ago when my kids were small, but I don’t really remember what happened. I might make it through the series this time, but there’s a 22 week wait for each of the books at the library! So it will be a long haul if I do listen to the rest.
How is your first reading month of 2024 going? Other than taking all month to read Erika Fatland’s High I’m making good progress on my goals so far. We still have a few days to go, but I think I’ll be happy with my month end wrap up.
That said I have already dropped out of a few challenges. In general I read more when I allow myself to stop reading what I don’t like. Sometimes I make myself feel like reading is my second job, but the truth is I’m not making money doing this, so I shouldn’t feel like I’m letting anyone down.
Have a great week!
“Besides, nowadays, almost all capable people are terribly afraid of being ridiculous, and are miserable because of it.”
Kindle: Reading His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie for #FoodAndLit on Litsy. I’m enjoying this one. It’s just taking me longer than usual because I haven’t had a lot of kindle time this week.
Audio: I started The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost yesterday. The intro made me laugh out loud, so that’s a good sign.
Paper Book: Almost done with High by Erika Fatland! I made good progress this week thanks to my nightly quiet time at the kitchen table. I’m glad I stuck with this one.
Make it a good one everyone!
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Even though we had snow TWICE last week there are small signs of spring starting to appear. It’s the good part about living in Virginia. Even when it’s so cold the outside hurts your face the second you step outside spring is never far away.
I’ve been plowing through the audiobooks this month. Right now I’m listening to We’ve Got You Covered. I try to listen to a book that will help me at work each month and this is my January pick. So far it’s interesting.
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I don’t know if it’s the weather or what, but my cats have been absolutely bonkers this week. They’re climbing on everything, and no hair tie or stuffed animal is safe. I’m looking forward to a more normal week this week when hopefully everyone goes to work and school every day.
I dropped all of my normal reading plans this week because All The Sinners Bleed came in from the library and I was OBSESSED. I’ll admit I skipped my walks a couple of nights so I could read, and I haven’t kept up with my non-fiction reading at all. So worth it though.
Have a great week!
“We all choose to be skeptics when the truth is inconvenient.”
Kindle: Reading His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie for #FoodAndLit on Litsy. Never started this last week because of my above mentioned obsession. I’ll start today and hopefully finish before the library needs it back.
Audio: I started Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, but am not sure I’ll finish. Change my mind?
Paper Book: Time to get back to High by Erika Fatland! Still hoping to finish this month, but time is going fast.
Make it a good one everyone!
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This week has been wild weather wise. We lost power at one point. Luckily I had all my candles out from Christmas still. Now they’re calling for two snow storms next week. Plus lacrosse games start for my son and drama rehearsals for my daughter. I’d say a trip to the grocery store is in order today.
I started the year reading two big chunky books- The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese and High by Erika Fatland. They’re both worth the time, but it feels weird to not have read more books by now.
Have a great week!
“Roses would be annoying weeds if the blooms never withered and died. Beauty resides in the knowledge that it doesn’t last.”
Kindle: Reading His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie for #FoodAndLit on Litsy. I’ve had this on my TBR forever!
Audio: Next up is Mobility by Lydia Kiesling. I’ve heard mixed reviews, but the premise sounds so good.
Paper Book: Still working on High by Erika Fatland! I try to read for an hour each night before bed, but these days have been a little nuts and I confess to falling asleep at the table some night. Making progress though, and I am determined to finish this chunkster by the end of the month.
Make it a good one everyone!
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We’re well in the New Year now, and everything Christmas is coming down today. I’ll miss the extra lights, but I’m looking forward to getting the space back. Sports start again for the kids this week, and I’m almost looking forward to that too. (Full disclosure- looking forward to the sports, not the driving and the laundry.)
Have a great week!
“For every one person who spends their last day romping through wildflowers and bestowing tender messages on their beloveds, praying words of thanksgiving as the sun falls into the ocean, there are two people who on their last day will order everything on the drive-thru menu at Taco Bell and chase it with a bottle of Wild Turkey. Urgency never makes a good life, or a good death. No one flosses on their last day on Earth. But there is something to be said about realizing stability is always a temporary situation, and that your dreams and plans will not pulsate within you forever. A life of denying them, for the sake of security and stability, won’t get you where you think it will.”
Kindle: The Dark by Emma Haughton - I didn’t get to this from my December list, but Antarctica in the winter has better December vibes anyway.
Audio: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - I have about 10 more hours in this audio, and just like the last time I read it I hope it never ends.
Paper Book: High by Erika Fatland - My new work night routine is to sit in the kitchen with this book and some mint tea for an hour each night. It’s a chunkster, so by reading a bit each night I’m hoping to finish by the end of the month.
Make it a good one everyone!
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Happy almost New Year! I am not a New Years Eve person (cold dark nights are not things I engage with willingly.) However I LOVE New Year’s Day. I love the feeling of wiping all the Christmas clutter away and starting fresh.
This year is a little different because of illness and travel- we’re doing our family Christmas on January 1. It’s just the four of us so it should be a low key day with a meal that pleases no one but ourselves, a few presents, and hopefully a hike or at least a long walk outside.
As for reading I’m finishing up my 2023 reads today, and looking forward to starting all new reads in 2024.
“They didn’t understand what they were doing.
I’m afraid that will be on the tombstone of the human race.”
I’m not sure really. I’ll take a look at my January list and see where I want to go with it.
Make it a good one everyone!
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