Show Us Your Books January 2026

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Happy New Year! It’s my first Show Us Your Books post of 2026, which means I am looking back at the books I read in December 2025. I read quite a bit in December, but that was a lot of re-reads. So here are the few 4 and 5 star reads of new to me books from last month. (In no particular order.) You’ll see my reading was heavily influenced by the TOB 2026 Long List.

The Best of the Best, December 2025

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans - An excellent audiobook, and a great choice for last read of the year. I loved all of the letters and the book references.

Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang - This was a wild ride! I will never scroll through Instagram in the same way again.

We Do Not Part by Kang Han - This book was haunting and just short enough so that the confusion of not knowing exactly what was going on didn’t make me want to quit. It touched on the generational trauma of the Jeju massacre, which is something the world doesn’t know enough about. Grateful for books that share hidden history.

Christine by Stephen King (technically a re-read but since it’s been 40+ years I’m counting it as new) - It felt like King could have been describing social media and the terrible hold it has over some young men when he was talking about Arnie and Christine. Creepy.

Have a great month everyone!

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Show Us Your Books April 2025

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March ended up being a really good reading month for me. I was reading along with the 2025 Tournament of Books list as much as possible and found two really good ones right at the end.

Here’s the best of the best from March:

5 Star Reads

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - I went into this buddy read with a bad attitude, but it ended up being amazing. The characters in this one stole the show.

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - I absolutely adored this book. A coming of age story about a possible alien born right around the same year I was? Yes, please. It was the second audiobook in a row that I listened to where I wanted to buy a paper copy so I can underline all of the parts I loved.

The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck - This audiobook hit just right. It’s a set of interconnected short stories each read by a different narrator. Next I want to read the paper version and take notes on how they all relate. I loved the New England settings and the pace of the stories. Really good.

4 Star Reads

Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor - I enjoyed this book even though I think I‘m going to have to read it again to fully understand what happened.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach - I assumed this would be total fluff (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but it was pretty deep albeit in a fluffy way. I liked what it had to say about taking care of yourself, finding the true you as you get older, loneliness, and grief. I loved how the author handled the pandemic. It made me laugh too.

Untamed by Will Harlan - We visited Cumberland Island last Easter without knowing much about it. Between the beaches, the abandoned mansions, and the wild horses it was like stepping into a novel. I’m now on a mission to learn as much as I can about it. This nonfiction book was a good starting place to learn about some of the history, gossip, and scandals.

Love and Death in Kathmandu by Amy Willesse - It took me a while to get through this book about the massacre of Nepal’s Royal family in 2001, but I ended up liking it. I still have a lot of questions about what happened, but the authors did a good job of setting the scene as best they could. I read a lot of mountaineering books so it was good to get a different sense of the country’s recent history.

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Show Us Your Books February 2025

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I did not exactly start my reading year off with a bang, but I did manage to squeeze some good books in. Here’s the best of the best from January.

Five Star Reads:

Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knott - A great and powerful book about dealing with grief and what we are to others.

Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa - I loved this book. I was expecting something like The Memory Police, but instead I got a coming of age story about a girl who goes to live with wealthy relatives for a year. Written in a light way even though it touches on some dark topics, this book was easy to read and perfect for cold winter mornings when you just can’t face getting up yet.

Four Star Reads:

What The Wild Sea Can Be by Helen Scales -
I loved this well researched audiobook. The author read it herself and you can hear the emotion in her voice when she talks about the ocean. I grew up near the coast in Massachusetts and this made me so homesick. Must get back to see the ocean soon.

Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu - This was my most anticipated Tournament Of Books title. I live in a city in Virginia with a large Ethiopian population so I thought I would learn more about my new neighbors. Haha no. That’s not at all what this was. This was a fever dream that jumped all over the place and I’m not even sure what happened to be honest. I’m not mad. Just confused. Still a pick, but don’t ask me any questions.

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden - I thought this was one thing, then it wasn’t, then it was again but in a completely different way. That probably doesn’t make sense if you haven’t read it but I don’t want to spoil it for you.

Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman - This was my first read of the year, and I loved it! It seemed so true to me- working a job with very little power doing what you can to create any change at all. Highly recommend.

February 2025 TBR

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On My Nightstand January 25, 2025

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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.”
— Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa

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

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

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On My Nightstand January 11, 2025

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Wouldn’t it be nice to be a cat napping in the sun without a care in the world these days?

We had snow all week plus President Carter’s funeral. My office (not too far from the National Cathedral) decided we would work from home another week. This Massachusetts girl got to test out her snow driving chops a few times here in Virginia and it turns out I’ve still got it. I’m not as good at shoveling snow as I used to be though. I think I pinched a nerve in my neck or something. Don’t get old if you can help it.

Quote of the Week:

“Patience! Have patience, my son,” his mother had exhorted. “Remember Job.” “Job!” scoffed the boy. “What did he know about patience? He didn’t have to wear no leather breeches.”
— Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson

What I’m Reading This Week:

Kindle: The Haunted Bridge by Carolyn Keene - Starting this for a buddy read. Reading through this series you can tell some ghost writers were better than others.

Audiobook: The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden - Another one from The Tournament of Books. Loving this one so far.

Paper: Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knott - I’ve been reading this a little bit each night before bed, but I love it so at a certain point I will just finish all at once.

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

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On My Nightstand January 4, 2025

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Happy New Year! Am I the only one who loves spending time looking at my reading stats and making totally unreachable reading goals for the New Year? Ah, January. In 2025 I want to read at least one non-fiction book a week, read a book set at least partially in every state in the US and every province in Canada, and increase my reading time by decreasing my social media time. Fingers crossed!

I didn’t read as much as I hoped over the holidays, but I’m hoping now that I’m back in a good routine I can start reading more again.

Quote of the Week:

“I had discovered that learning something, no matter how complex, wasn’t hard when I had a reason to learn.”
— Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam

What I’m Reading This Week:

Kindle: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer - This is a re-read for me. It really suits this week’s weather! It adds something when you can hear the wind howling outside.

Audiobook: Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman - Loving this book I heard about through Tournament of Books Long List.

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

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My January TBR

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December Beginning TBR: 456
December Ending TBR: 466

Happy New Year! Last month was way more than I bargained for, so I had to stop doing everything that wasn’t necessary to keep me employed and my kids fed and where they’re supposed to be. I’m excited to be back journaling what I want to read and what I’ve actually read. (Totally different lists most months.)

Here’s 20 books I’m hoping to read in January:

1) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

2) The Mysterious Affair At Styles by Agatha Christie

3) The Haunted Bridge by Carolyn Keene

4) Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

5) Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson

6) Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

7) Whose Body by Dorothy L Sayers

8) What The Wild Sea Can Be by Helen Scales

9) The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

10) The Cat Who Went Bananas by Lilian Jackson Brown

11) Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knott

12) Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir

13) Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us by Joe Palca

14) Your Teenager Is Not Crazy by Jerusha Clark

15) The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA by Liza Mundy

16) Fire Weather by John Vaillant

17) There Is Nothing For You Here by Fiona Hill

18) The Book of George by Kate Greathead

19) Fix Your Fashion by Laura Strutt

20) The Girl Without Skin by Mads Peder Nordbo

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