Week 27: 7/2 - 7/9 > Likes and Comments
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Happy Thursday! Ashley and the boys left yesterday for a quick trip to Salt Lake City to visit friends, so it's just me and Seth here at home. It's so quiet! I have a couple projects I want to finish while they're gone, but I'll be surprised if I actually get them done.Reading Challenges:
52 Book Club: 50/52
52 Books Read It, Watch It: 6/12
ATY: 50/52 (Summer Challenge: 18/25)
Booklist Queen: 49/52
Popsugar: 45/50
Goodreads Summer Bookmarks: 3/11
52 Books Mystery Challenge: 27/50
My Ever-Growing TBR: 69/276 – 24.6% (My goal is 33.3%.)
Recently Completed:
🗽We Had Our Reasons: Poems by Ricardo Ruiz and Other Hardworking Mexicans from Eastern Washington (ATY Summer #5B – translated/Booklist Queen #47 – outside my comfort zone/Popsugar #40 – outside my comfort zone) ★★★
🗽The Knight and the Butcherbird ★★★★
🗽The Beauty of Living Twice: Sharon (ATY #9 – any form of a number in the title) ★★★★
🗽A Cute Little Murder (Mystery #10 – a humorous mystery) ★★★
🗽Girl, 11 ★★★★
🗽Next-Door Nemesis (52 Books #48 – related to nemesis) ★★★
🗽This Motherless Land: Read with Jenna Selection/Jane Austen Book Club. This is a loose interpretation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. (ATY Summer #3c – a trip to a relative’s house) ★★★★
🗽Blacktop Wasteland ★★★★
🗽Just Us: An American Conversation ★★★★
🗽Villain, Hench, #2 ★★★★
🗽Salt, Sweat & Steam: The Fiery Education of an Accidental Chef (ATY #6 – blood, sweat, and tears) ★★★
QOTW: I can't think of anything right now... maybe later.
Morning all! The kittens did pretty well with their first Fourth of July. More curious than scared.In the "Romancing the Vote" auction, I won the right to name a character in a future novel by Aurora Blackwood. Anniversary surprise for my wife.
78 books so far.
Popsugar 47/50.
52 Book Club 50/52.
Booklist Queen 49/52.
This Challenge Killed the Bookworm 23/25.
Finished:
Husband Material, Alexis Hall's sequel to Boyfriend Material. Very funny, fluffy romance, with some definite "need to suspend disbelief and just go with it" moments. Used for "horse on the cover" even though there's no actual horse in the book. Favorite moment: Oliver says "You've made me a worse person," and Luc understands and takes the compliment.
Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha. No Popsugar prompt; used for "about dragons" (BLQ) and "paranormal romance" (TCKTBW). Before it had an official title, the authors called it the "horny dragon book."
Blue Horses by Mary Oliver. No prompt.
Currently reading:
Moscow to the End of the Line by Venedikt Erofeev. Just started, not sure if I like it yet.
QOTW: I guess a lot of books read in college qualify as the "right time," while I was figuring out who I was and where my life was going. The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess by Starhawk. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center by bell hooks. Another Mother Tongue: Gay Words, Gay Worlds by Judy Grahn. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg.
On a more mundane level, I read Red, White & Royal Blue at the right time to rediscover romance books, long after I'd rejected the sexist stuff I read as a teenager.
It was also the right time when I read Anne McCaffrey's The Dragonriders of Pern: Books 1-3 in middle school. Science fiction with women who weren't there for decoration! That's probably part of the reason I became a science fiction writer.
It's supposed to get to 99 on Saturday during the Dewey Readathon. I usually try to read some of it outside. Maybe it won't be too bad in the shade...PS: 39/40
52: 44/52
52 Connections: 17/21
SLCO Ravenous Bonus: 6/21
Dewey Pre-readathon: 9/12
Finished: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter This one was fun! Read for pre-readathon prompt.
Started: The Incandescent
Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process
Didn't get a whole lot of reading done because I took a trip to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and was pretty busy while there. If you ever get a chance to go, it's magical!
QotW: I bought a Diana Wynne Jones book. The first time I picked it up, I didn't think much of it and didn't get very far. The next time I picked it up, I liked it so much that I ended up reading her entire oeuvre. I hope this question isn't too hard to answer!
Laura Ruth wrote: "In the "Romancing the Vote" auction, I won the right to name a character in a future novel by Aurora Blackwood. Anniversary surprise for my wife..."So exciting!
Happy Thursday!I finished 2 books this week. Okay, they were children's books. I couldn't find any prompts for them, but I got 900 points for that summer reading challenge.
I have so many books that should be coming in soon, so I started a book I could read for free at my leisure. I expected a book by a "nepo wife" to be terrible, but I'm 3 chapters in and honestly, it's better than some Stephan King books I read that were written during the years when he had addiction issues.
I finished a using Pop Sugar as a prompt movies. I'm not sure if it really fit the prompt, but AI recommended it.
Finished:
Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep
Popsugar prompt: can't find one
ATY prompt: can't find one
Summer prompt: a book that features the following activities - Swimming - 400 points
Pippi Longstocking
Popsugar prompt: can't find one
ATY prompt: can't find one
Summer prompt: A book featuring a child protagonist - 500 points
Series - 5/12
Number 1s - 6/10
Nobel laureates - 2/5
Rocky Horror challenge: 7/12
Summer Reading challenge - 2100/5000 points
PS - 21/30
ATY - 27/45
PS movies - 20/50
Currently reading:
The Grapes of Wrath - 25%
Survivor by Tabitha King - 10%
PopSugar movies
A movie about new beginnings - This is Where I Leave You
QOTW: I'm not sure if it happened to me, but my kids started reading Harry Potter when they were 11 and Harry was 11.
And the orderly, after I had mental health issues as a 19 year old, who recommended that I read The Bell Jar, would probably be fired for that now. But I love it.
I also had 2 timely TV shows - one about university that debuted my first year of university. And Friends where I was the same age as Rachel and Monica.
Happy Thursday all.So this week I finally got started on the draft of a novel I intend to actually publish. Only have about a thousand words and an outline down so far, but I'm hopeful that this will be the book that finally sees the light of day and doesn't just sit and rot on my hard drive. Wish me luck.
Also declared that this July will be Low Spend July. I'm going to avoid buying stuff unless absolutely necessary, and see how much money I can save in preparation for new glasses and my upcoming Japan trip.
Books read this week:
At Wits' End -- cozy mystery set at a UFO-themed B&B. Cute, but predictable, and the main character felt pretty useless.
Hot Chocolate on Thursday -- cute novel about the interconnectedness of our lives. Also interesting to find a novel that bounces back and forth between Japan and Australia, two places on my “bucket list” of places to go…
Genesis Sequence -- surprisingly well-done sci-fi novel in which a time-traveling robot has an unexpected encounter with a Neanderthal woman.
Bad Monkeys -- if you don’t like unreliable narrators you will HATE this book. Otherwise, it’s a decent, if rather confusing, thriller.
Assassination Classroom, Vol. 9
Assassination Classroom, Vol. 10
Currently reading:
Stay for a Spell
Ember and Stone
The Clackity
The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances
QOTW:
Without going into personal details... I read I'm Glad My Mom Died at a time when I most needed to.
Hi all! We're adjusting to life with a dog. We took in my bf's mom's dog. She's basically not trained at all, so it's going to be a struggle, but we're making headway, I think. The memorial service is Saturday morning. It's going to be rough, but hopefully that will let us start moving on with the logistical aspects of going through her house.
Kiddo has had swimming lessons these last 2 weeks, but yesterday and today's classes were canceled because the instructor is sick. There will be a makeup class tomorrow if she's up to it, and then they said they'd try to squeeze us in some other time. Kiddo was pretty bummed because today was supposed to be the last day of classes. I'm bummed because today was supposed to be the last day of classes, ha! Just means more running around.
I've been mostly reading Attack of the Theater People. I'm halfway through and have 9 more days, so I think I should be good.
I did listen to another chapter or so in A Magic Deep and Drowning. Still ok for a book that's not my usual thing.
QOTW: I read Antigone as a senior in high school. Antigone's longing to be free of her assigned roles, her desire to fight for what's right and something bigger than herself, I *felt* that to my bones at the time.
I also read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking at a perfect time. I also felt very seen with this book, but at the time I had an extremely extroverted boss, and this book helped me make sense of him and work better with him, too.
Jennifer W wrote: "I also read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking at a perfect time. I also felt very seen with this book, but at the time I had an extremely extroverted boss, and this book helped me make sense of him and work better with him, too. ..."Uugh... I am currently buddy-reading this book and I can't stand it. Seems like she devotes the whole book to making the argument why it's okay to not be extroverted. This argument feels completely unnecessary to me. I don't know why people like this book so much!
Happy Thursday! I'm frantically prepping to leave for vacation tomorrow! Still so much to do! AAAAAHH!Finished 28/50
Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection for "book about debt". Well, it's a short-story collection and one of the stories was about debt, but I read the whole thing anyway because it's a Cosmere must-read.
Currently Reading
Lights on the Mountain: A Novel This my parish's summer book club read, but I'm hoping it'll fulfill the harvesting prompt since it's about a boy who inherits a farm. Fingers crossed!
QotW
I read The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World at a time where I was becoming burned out and disillusioned with evangelical Protestantism. I didn't think the two things would be related, but they totally are, and thanks to reading this book, I realized my issues were deeper than I thought, and it spurred me on to researching (and eventually converting to) Eastern Orthodoxy. I'd had the book for years, but picked it up at the time when I was most questioning. It helped (which I don't think was the author's intent at all, funnily enough).
Good afternoon, everyone! Happy Thursday! This has been a pretty laid back week, which has been wonderful. The weather is still very warm, which has definitely encouraged me to spend my time indoors, and I am very grateful for air conditioning.
I’ve spent the past week participating in Summerween for the first time ever, and I am absolutely loving it! I’ve had a chance to read quite a few spooky books this week, which has allowed me to make a considerable amount of progress on my TBR quest. I’m actually quite sad that today is the final day of the readathon, but I will definitely participate in this one again next year.
I am planning to participate in the Dewey’s 24-Hour Reverse Readathon, which starts tomorrow at 8 PM, and I am looking forward to that. I still need to decide on my TBR for the readathon, but at least I’ve got all of my snacks ready to go.
Here are my current challenge and TBR totals…
Goodreads Challenge: 140/250
Mount TBR Challenge: 83/150
📚Physical TBR: 77/462
📱Ebook TBR: 5/161
🎧Audiobook TBR: 1/1
TBR Checklist Total: 83/624 (13% complete)
TBR Books DNFed in 2026: 5
TBR Books Soft DNFed in 2026: 3
I did not purchase any new books this week, and don’t plan to until I’ve read the ones I already own.
However, I forgot to mention that at the end of July I did pick up books 5-8 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, by Matt Dinniman, as audiobooks.
“New” Books Bought in 2026: 62
“New” Books Read in 2026: 56
“New” Books DNFed in 2026: 0
“New” Books Checklist Total: 56/62 (90% complete)
Here are the books I finished this week…
Finished Reading (Fiction):
~The Briar Book of the Dead — I thought this was a fantastic book! The story was very interesting, and I really liked the main character. If you’re looking for a good, witchy standalone, this book is a great choice. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Ghost Town — I thought this was a good, spooky ghost story, and liked the main characters. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~This Delicious Death — This was a really good story about a group of girls attending a Coachella-like event after a pandemic leaves their lives (and dietary requirements) forever changed. I loved the characters, and thought the LGBTQ+ representation was really well done. Content Alert: The author does include a list of content warnings at the beginning of the book, which is worth taking a look at before reading. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter — As I mentioned in my previous update, my grandparents gifted this book to me when I turned 11. I never read it, because I was angry that they apparently had no idea what I liked to read (which at the time was SciFi and fantasy novels from the adult section of our local library). It took me almost 30 years, but I’ve finally read it! I thought this was a very cute collection of stories, but what I actually liked most was the artwork. It’s just so whimsical and lovely! 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~I Was a Teenage Slasher — I thought this was an interesting read. The story was very similar to a train wreck, in the sense that you don’t want to see what’s going to happen, but at the same time you can’t look away. I honestly don’t know if I can say that I really enjoyed the book, but I had a horrible time putting it down. I ended up reading most of the book in a single afternoon. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Hidden Pictures — I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and was super invested in the main character’s story! I read the entire book in a single day, because I could not put it down. It was creepy in the best way possible, and the pictures really added to that atmosphere. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Nonfiction):
~Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror — This was a really interesting look at the history of Universal’s monster movies, which included chapters about all of the studio’s classic monsters, and the cast and crew members responsible for bringing them to life on screen. The book also includes tons of photographs, including some from Halloween Horror Nights. Unfortunately, because of when the book was written, there is no information about the Dark Universe attraction at the newest Universal theme park, which I would have enjoyed leaning more about. 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops and Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales — This book was not exactly what I expected, and as a result I found myself a little disappointed in its contents. Rather than a detailed travel guide, this book featured 2 stories about each location (one paranormal and one true crime), followed by lists of the authors’ recommendations for locations to get wine and milkshakes, spooky tours, and other bizarre local attractions. While the stories were interesting, I would have preferred a more general overview of each city, with fewer details about more locations and attractions. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished Reading (Manga, Comic Books, & Graphic Novels):
None
Finished Reading (Poetry and Drama):
None
DNFed:
None
Currently Reading:
~How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive — This book has been a pretty decent read so far, despite the fact that I don’t like either of the main characters. I’m currently about 40% of the way through, and I’m hoping that I will be able to finish it this evening. Content Alert: (view spoiler) 📚
QOTW:
To be honest, I’m finding it easier to think of books that I read at the wrong time of my life than to come up with a list that I read at just the right time. I’ll have to give this one some more thought.
Hello and happy Thursday from Columbus! I’m currently between clients at work. The weather has been less hostile here but it’s still way hotter than I like it. We had a really nice 4th of July, it’s probably my favorite secular holiday because we always had so much fun when I was a kid. Finished:
Cleopatra for a new summer goodreads bookmark. Or well it ended up working for that but I think I just put a hold on it because it looked fun. Did anyone else had a Cleopatra phase as a kid? I sure did, I think I read the Cleopatra Royal Diary and it sparked a passion. This was an interesting read, I like seeing how authors imagine her life, since so little is actually known about her.
Conclave for a book riot prompt. As a Catholic, this one was right up my alley and now I can finally watch the movie! How topical that the movie came out when it did, I loved following the news about the conclave that elected Pope Leo.
The Summer Boy not for a challenge, but if something looks interesting and its novella length, I’ll probably pick it up and power through it in a couple of hours. I enjoy books that involved summer vacation and disappearances, and this involves both. A melancholy vignette of growing up and processing grief that doesn’t always come with closure.
Dream New Dreams: Reimagining My Life After Loss not for a challenge. This is the widow of Randy Pausch, the author of The Last Lecture I was a new adult when Pausch was making the news circuit and for whatever reason, his story has really stuck with me. I wonder if it’s because he seemed so warm and lovely and as a new mom, the thought of his young children losing their dad really tugged on my heart. But anywho, his wife wrote this book a handful of years after his passing. It covers the beginning of their marriage, to his diagnosis and what it was like being a caregiver to an I’ll husband and three small kids. She writes about the year or so after his passing and how she learned to rebuild her life and community. I really enjoyed getting to revisit this family, from another perspective.
Currently Reading:
Tom's Crossing
The Count of Monte Cristo
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible
Recently Watched:
Nothing this week, I’ve been too tired at the end of each day to watch anything.
QOTW:
I honestly can’t think of anything off the top of my head.
2025 Challenges:
Popsugar - 12/40; 0/10
Read Harder - 11/24
Classics - 5/12
European Tour - 9/10
12 Friends - 10/12
Yearly Goal - 69/180
Doni wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "I also read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking at a perfect time. I also felt very seen with this book, but at the time I had an extremely extrover..."Lol, good luck making it the rest of the way! It's been more than 13 years since I read it, so I don't remember a ton of details. It may very well be mostly about how it's ok not to be an extrovert, but I hadn't ever heard that before!
QOW - I always try to read books around my vacation location. Some great beach books read on beach vacations - like Gift from the Sea when I was actually on Sanibel Island. And a cozy Key West mystery when in Key West. Will be in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in Sept/Oct - any recommendations? I am considering rereading Heidi as a remember the setting being so "Swiss"
Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! We're adjusting to life with a dog. We took in my bf's mom's dog. She's basically not trained at all, so it's going to be a struggle, but we're making headway, I think. The memorial servic..."
What kind of dog? Poor thing is probably so confused without their human. You are doing a wonderful thing.
I finished Riding Lessons as my book with teen angst. I liked the book, but I wanted to murder most of the characters. Slowly.I read The Detransition Diaries as my book with a trans character.
I've just started Fatal Majesty: A Novel of Mary, Queen of Scots as my book with a character with curly hair. It's OK so far, but I've read to other novels about Mary Stuart, and this one doesn't seem like it's going to be as good.
QOTW: I have no idea.
Rose wrote: "QOW - I always try to read books around my vacation location. Some great beach books read on beach vacations - like Gift from the Sea when I was actually on Sanibel Island. And a cozy ..."The Magic Mountain was definitely of the place, but goodness, it was a SLOG. Many people consider it a first rate novel, but if I were on a dessert island with only that book, I'd probably just not read! YMMV
I'll try to think of some "good" books to recommend! ;)
Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! We're adjusting to life with a dog. We took in my bf's mom's dog. She's basically not trained at all, so it's going to be a struggle, but we're making headway, I think. ..."
A corgi. Latin name: Canis stubborneus
Happy Thursday! Another busy week at work. After reading tons last month, I feel like I haven't been reading much at all this month. Hoping to see some friends soon- wasn't feeling 100% this last weekend, but if I can actually sleep tonight I should actually be able to do something fun this weekend.
Finished:
Someone to Cook For- there was a lot about this that I liked- a lot about the different shapes a family can take- but there was a character who I think acted pretty terribly and it was just brushed aside in a way that really put a damper on the story for me
-no prompt, netgalley book
Currently reading:
How to Kill a Witch: The Patriarchy's Guide to Silencing Women- picked this up because none of my audiobooks sounded interesting, and this would work for a goodreads bookmark. I like it, but it covers some pretty horrific things. The narrators do a good job of balancing the seriousness of the subject with a bit of levity
In Stormy Weather- just started this romcom, it feels promising
QotW:
I may come up with a better answer after I think about it more. But one book I can think of is When We Rise: My Life in the Movement. I picked this up when it first came out, and then never read it until last year. I think the story of the ways regular, average people were able to make a real impact in their community was maybe more meaningful last year than it would have been earlier on.
Just a quick check-in for me because it's late. I finished one book but couldn't figure out a prompt for it, so no movement on the challenge this week. I'm at 15/40 and 1/10 for this challenge, and 35/75 for my overall Goodreads Reading Challenge. Finished:
* A Murderous Business by Cathy Pegau, which was a NetGalley backlist title. Glad I gave it a try when the publisher offered it up as an auto-approve for 72 hours!
Currently Reading:
* The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims;
* Theo of Golden written by Allen Levi and narrated by David Morse, which is one of my book clubs' picks for July; and,
* Peking Duck and Cover by Vivien Chien.
QotW:
This week's question is from Doni:
What is a book you read at just the right time? The first book that popped into my mind was Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which I read in the early days of Covid lockdown. I'd been having trouble focusing on reading anything and none of my usual go-to tricks were working. I picked this one up and got so sucked into the drama of the band members' messy lives that it helped me escape from reality for awhile and unstuck from my stalled reading life.
It was so hot last week (and much of this) I stayed in a read a lot.I don't remember where I found One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke for ps 21 A book about a bachelorette trip. I knew I had nothing like that on my shelves. Not sure if I got it from the thread here or another site but this was a suspense set at a hen party in Greece and it was engaging (in spite of not being my go to genre)
At least ps 31 A book that makes you feel FOMO was an easy one.. I picked a book by someone I know. I nearly lost a leg 5 years ago and I can no longer do these hikes or investigations (Need to go with her on some of the easier local ones). This book was good with all the gps data you'll need and how hard the trail is. So yeah FOMO for sure with this one. Haunted Hikes of the Appalachian Hills and Hollers: Hiking Trails with Ghost Stories, Legends, and Folktales by Jannette Quackenbush
Our Wicked Gifts by Kathryn Foxfield was not what I planned to read for p.s. 48 A book with a shadow daddy I had a couple other possibilities from my physical tbr pile but this netgalley arc (it came out yesterday) fit it too well to ignore it. Soren is one heck of a shadow daddy.
Not for the challenge I also read Purranormal Activity: A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte It was a cute cozy mystery that did well with planting clues and whatnot.
QOTQ
You know, this is a really interesting question. I'm sure it's happened but I can't remember when/where. But I will say everything I did read in 2021 when I had the aforementioned accident with my leg, those books helped keep me sane.
Spent my day traveling back to Santa Fe from NYC - this is I believe the final trip clearing out the condo and disposing of all the items from my friend's estate that I'm settling. It's already on the market and we already have serious interest looking for a fast closing. Pressure is on! It was so brutally hot this past week - until it broke on Sunday - and I just was wrung out on many levels, I did not do anything except read romances for Christmas in July, slept and watched tv. I also wasn't necessarily feeling all that good. I so needed a long weekend like that! Oh, and one criteria for those romance books: there had to be snow and cold at these Christmases.
PS 37/52 ATY 47/52
Finished:
Christmas Angel
The Christmas Mail Order Bride
Merry Christmas, Cowboy
Christmas of the Red Chiefs
A Firefighter's Christmas Gift
The Christmas Room
Holidays on the Ranch
To Santa With Love - only one that rated below 3 stars
Sugarplum Way - only one fitting prompts I needed filled: PS - 'sugar' in title and ATY 'something edible (sugar plums) in the title.
I confess I had all of these in my Nook ebook TBR Tower - and more - I'm still reading them. Some are really really good earning 4 stars, all were fun. Most are authors I've read their holiday romances for decades and some of these are reissues of ones published years ago that I missed.
It's been such fun reading!
Currently reading - still the holidays -
Christmas Kisses with My Cowboy: Three Charming Christmas Cowboy Romance Stories - 3 novellas/stories.
QOTW: This actually happens to me a lot in so many ways - not dramatic or life changing but just such an interesting way reading can intersect by happenstance it seems in life. To me it upholds that concept that 'words have power'. Two very recent examples:
I found myself reading for a monthly theme of the Harlem Renaissance and had just started reading Zora Neale Hurston's brilliant and seminal Their Eyes Were Watching God when I had to attend an event at Barnard College - where Zora was the first African American student and graduate in the 1920s, the time of the Harlem Renaissance in fact. It was a day of events for Barnard's Reunions (not mine -- but I was there making a presentation), and I stepped into a lecture which ended up centering on Zora, her work, and how she fits into the history of African American women and other women of color at Barnard -- which will be part of a celebration in 2028 of Zora herself. AND there was a textile artist exhibit on display that also touched on African American legacy -- Zora, Harriet Tubman, Langston Hughes, and more. That all just happened at the same time!
The 2nd example just happened this week. A month or 2 ago I read Margo's Got Money Troubles which I adored! In case you don't know, Margot solves her money troubles by becoming a camgirl and posting to MyFans site which she learns about from her pro-wrestler father. Now, while I from a remove knew about these sites where for a fee you can 'follow' the videos posted that run the gamut of just nudes to watching someone perform intimate acts, I'd never heard of MyFans or sites like that, and I thought the entire plot and Margot's using it to provide financially for herself and her baby in a safe way and basically empowering herself was a sorely needed message (it's like JD Robb creating a world where prostitution was legalized and licensed and thus just another job so to speak and safer for the women - except when there are murderers of course). I digress - but what just happened is that I picked up my print copy of The New Yorker from a pile of mail that had accumulated and find an article accompanied by stunning photographs at the level of collectible art - of individuals posing in the nude - very stylized. I was intrigued and started reading the article -- and find MyFans mentioned in it and starts telling the story of a woman in the 90s who bought one of the first personal cams and proceeded to make and post videos of herself on the internet, with milliions of followers, monetized, and so forth. Now I have to find time to read the entire article! It would not have piqued my interest nearly as much had I not read Margo's Got Money Troubles. Plus reading all of this in the context of our political sexual predators, #MeToo, and the court decisions.
Got a little long winded there - but that's what happens when I slip into a rabbit hole, LOL.
Life update: A specialist moving firm cleared my mother's flat this week. They reported that the landlords were rude to their workers. My mother always said they were difficult people, but they seemed sympathetic over her sudden decline and were nice to me while I was there in person. I also went to a lot of trouble to make sure they knew about the arrangements, who was coming, who to contact if they had any problems, etc. It's so frustrating. I hate any kind of rudeness to workers who are just trying to do their jobs, and I feel responsible even though it's out of my control. Reading update: I finished three books this week:
Madame Sosostris and the Festival for the Brokenhearted - PS: FOMO. This was really enjoyable, albeit different than I expected. 4 stars.
Deep River - Flowers for your shelves: Your choice (magnolia). I was also going to use this for the birding prompt, but it turned out not to fit, as the only birds that really feature in the story are pets. Still, it was a beautiful and profound read. 5 stars.
A Planet Called Happy - NetGalley, no prompt. I found this one a bit too hectic for my taste. There are some astute comments on capitalism, but those aside, it basically just consists of action sequences stitched together. 2 stars.
Stats:
Popsugar: 1 this week, 31/50 total
Diversity Challenge: 0 this week, 7/14 total
Touch the Rainbow, Read the Rainbow: 0 this week, 10/13 total
Queer Reads Bracket Challenge: 0 this week, 4/7 total
Flowers for Your Shelves: 1 this week, 4/22 total
r/Fantasy Bingo: 0 this week, 7/25 total
Spanish Titles ABC: 0 this week, 1/26 total
French TBR: 0 this week, 1/20 total
Great Big Jewish Literature Challenge: 0 this week, 6/21 total
Anti-Capitalist Inspiration: 0 this week, 17/30 total
Reading About Writing: 0 this week, 4/40 total
All books finished this year: 3 this week, 74 total
DNF or paused this year: 0 this week, 18 total
Challenges completed this year: 1
Challenges in progress (end date in 2026): 4
Challenges in progress (no end date or end date in 2027): 7
Currently reading:
The Thirty Names of Night - PS: birding; Diversity Challenge: Arab heritage
How to ADHD: An Insider's Guide to Working with Your Brain - Diversity Challenge: Disability
The Sun Also Rises and Other Works - audiobook, no prompt
The Complete Mahabharata Volume - 3 Vana Parva & Virat Parva - spiritual reading, no prompt
QOTW: When I first developed ME/CFS in my 20s, the deacon at my then church recommended The Stature of Waiting and Love's endeavour, love's expense: The response of being to the love of God, both by W. H. Vanstone. The second one in particular really spoke to me and got me through a tough time. I'm not a Christian any more, but I'm still glad I read that book.
Happy Friday!Finished:
No new novel finishes this week.
Comics/manga:
Girl Crush, Vol. 7
I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 1
Sheltering Eaves, Vol. 1
I am currently at 31/50 for the Popsugar reading challenge (25/40 and 6/10).
Currently reading:
All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan - tentatively using this for "shadow daddy".
Upcoming/Planned:
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans - for a book told entirely through letters.
The Feywild Job by C.L. Polk - I tentatively have this slotted in for a book that takes place during harvesting season. I flipped through the early part of the book and saw mentions of autumn, so we'll see if it actually does work.
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper - for a book featuring birding.
QOTW:
I know I've had this feeling, but I can't put a finger on a specific example.
Theresa wrote: "Got a little long winded there - but that's what happens when I slip into a rabbit hole, LOL"But it provides fascinating reading! LOL
Happy Friday! Last weekend, it was cool! So I cleaned the house top-down. Temperatures are rising again, but not to extreme levels. Still: I'm done with summer. Please fast forward to September! Plus: everyone is going on a holiday and mine isn't until September, so another reason to fast forward. Didn't finish a book this week. Going to finis one tonight, so that'll be on next week's check-in.
Read this year: 32
PS: 16/40
Finished this week: none
QOTW
I pick up books that interest me, so when the war in Ukraine started, I read about the history of Ukrain. One that was unintended, was Julia Navarro's From Nowhere. I read it when October 7th happened. On a personal level I can't remember, but I do know that where you are in your life certainly defines the way you read a book.
Rose wrote: "QOW - I always try to read books around my vacation location. Will be in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in Sept/Oct - any recommendations? I am considering rereading Heidi as a remember the setting being so "Swiss" ..."We're going to Austria and Switzerland in september too! It's beautiful over there, most beautiful months of the year imho. Autumn colours, still good weather, good food (game!) and traditions like 'Alpabzug', you definitely should visit one when you're there.
On books: I love Juli Zeh, a German writer (About People). And from Switzerland: Charles Lewinsky (Melnitz)
We are a bit over halfway through 2026 and although I had a goal to complete the Popsugar challenge by July, I lack 10 books from completing that goal. But that’s not bad at all, IMO! So onward and upward to maybe achieving that by August?!? LOL Amazingly, this is my goal every year and I have yet to achieve it! I probably should reset my expectation at the beginning of 2027, but probably won’t! I’m stubborn in my old age!! 😉ADMIN STUFF:
THE JUNE MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #25 A book that explores influencer culture
World Social Media Day is June 30
https://nationaltoday.com/social-medi...
Erin is the “influential influencer” who very graciously volunteered to lead this discussion! Thank you so much! 👏👏👏👏👏🎉🎉🎊🪄🪄🪄🎆🎆🎇🎇👍👍
I’ll leave this up another couple of weeks and then transfer to the 2026 Monthly Group Reads folder.
THE JULY MONTHLY GROUP READ SELECTION IS A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #7 A book about a granny hobby
National Gorgeous Grandma Day is July 23
https://nationaltoday.com/national-go...
Luckily, I enjoyed this one! You can join the conversation HERE!
THE AUGUST MONTHLY GROUP READ IS Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor!
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #50 A book about Afrofuturism
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is August 23
https://www.unesco.org/en/days/slave-...
Feel free to volunteer as the “future foreteller” to lead this discussion!
I have a copy and although I did enjoy the Binti trilogy, I'm hoping this book will contain a bit less violence...
THE SEPTEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ SELECTION IS The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #47 A book told entirely through letters
World Letter Writing Day is September 1
https://nationaltoday.com/world-lette...
Are you the “literary luminary” who would graciously guide this discussion?!?
I managed to score a cheap copy of this one!! I've been wanting to read it!
THE OCTOBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles #1) by T.J. Klune
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #6 A book with an overweight main character whose story isn't about losing weight
National Plus Size Appreciation Day is October 6
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/na...
Who among you is the “rambunctious rule-minder" to lead this discussion?
I recently reread this and I swear it is a book I believe I would immensely enjoy after reading it 10 times!!
THE NOVEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ IS *Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #28 A book about debt
Buy Nothing Day is November 27
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Not...
Which one of you is the “silvery spinner” ready, willing, and able to lead this discussion?
THE DECEMBER MONTHLY GROUP READ FINAL SELECTION IS Horse by Geraldine Brooks
This book could be used to fulfill prompt #10 A book about a horse or with a horse on the cover
National Horse Day is December 13
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/n...
Surely there is "heroic horse handler" amongst you to facilitate this discussion!
THE LISTING OF 2026 MONTHLY GROUP READ TOPICS IS HERE!
***
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
This week's question is from Doni:
What is a book you read at just the right time?
Oh, boy. There have been many times when I finished reading a book or just started it and realized this is just exactly the “right time” for this one. Most recently, I have been mixing children’s books into my reading schedule and that always feels right to me as it draws me out of some more intense “adult” books! And mysteries. There are just times when I absolutely MUST indulge my ultimate love of mysteries and dig in to one of them!!
In reviewing my listing of “read” books perhaps the most recent was when I decided to read Colleen Oakley’s Jane and Dan at the End of the World while also working to finish both Canon by Paige Lewis and East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Canon was absolutely not in my wheelhouse (which I suspected, but had purchased an author-signed copy as part of the fee for an author event and felt compelled to read it…) and East of Eden was just so noirish until the last third or fourth of the book that it was depressing to me. I have read three of Oakley’s books and she is now a “go-to” author for me!
2026 READING CHALLENGES:
Popsugar: 40/50
52 Book Club: 47/52
FINISHED:
*Murder is a Piece of Cake (Baker Street #2) by Valerie Burns ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was perhaps a bit more serious than the initial installment in this series, but no less entertaining. I particularly appreciate the way Burns intermixes the mysteries between these first two novels in the series! And of course, I adore the mastiff(s)!! Well done! Maddy’s intermittent thoughts regarding how various situations remind her of slasher horror film settings is especially entertaining to me!
POPSUGAR: #1, #9, #11, #13, #14, #15, #25, #27
52 Book Club: #5, #16, #17, #24, #25, #35, #48, #49
*The Case of the Ghostwriter (Jigsaw Jones #10) by James Preller, cover illustration by R.W. Alley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was very well written and illustrated! I’m just so jealous not to have had the advantage of such juvenile literature while growing up through childhood!!
POPSUGAR: #7, #13, #15, #16, #31
52 Book Club: #8, #13, #16, #25, #28, #35, #42, #49
*Bella Baxter: Inn Trouble (Bella Baxter #1) by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens, illustrated by John Shelley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is definitely a favorite for me among juvenile series! Definitely want to read them all!
POPSUGAR: #13, #15, #16, #31
52 Book Club: #13, #16, #26, #35, #38, #48, #49
*No Sleep for the Sheep! by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is one of the best picture books I’ve read in a while! Loved the story and the illustrations! Heartwarming for this ol’ displaced farm gal! 😊
POPSUGAR: #10, #16
52 Book Club: #4, #11, #26, #33, #44, #49
*The Dragon's Scales by Sarah Albee, illustrated by John Manders ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was such an amazing educational resource for mathematics!! This also serves as an excellent example of respect, acceptance, and finally appreciation! For a dragon!! 😉
POPSUGAR: #15, #16, #31, #38
52 Book Club: #11, #13, #16, #26, #33, #44, #49
CONTINUING:
*Silent Thunder: In the Presence of Elephants by Katy Payne
*The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green is great, but am taking notes and will read intermittently between other books…as I typically do with essay collections!
*Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine for an author event
*A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
*Salvation City by Sigrid Nunez is rather fascinating. I keep wondering exactly where/how this will end…
*Hope on the Inside by Marie Bostwick is not what I was expecting! Bostwick is so savvy at connecting titles…
*Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power by RebeccaSolnit
*The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
*The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong for an IRL book club meeting
*The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
PLANNED:
*Pet by Akwaeke Emezi for an IRL book club meeting next week
*After Life by Gayle Forman for an IRL book club meeting next week
*Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris
*Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser
*The Last of Her Kind by Sigrid Nunez
*What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez
*For Rouenna by Sigrid Nunez
*Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
*The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley
*The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
*The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
Jennifer W wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Hi all! We're adjusting to life with a dog. We took in my bf's mom's dog. She's basically not trained at all, so it's going to be a struggle, but we're makin...A corgi."
ohhhh now you can be like Queen Elizabeth!
Harmke wrote: "Rose wrote: "QOW - I always try to read books around my vacation location. Will be in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in Sept/Oct - any recommendations? I am considering rereading Heidi as a remem..."Thanks for the great book suggestions Harmke. We have been to Germany (but other side of Germany) before but not Austria/Switzerland so very excited. Good idea on the Alpabzug. Hopefully I can find one while we are there!
This has decidedly not been my week. The latest insult is that Goodreads has deleted my list from the 'Post Your 2026 Reading List'. How I can keep track of this year's reads is going to be a problem.Before that, I lost a couple of days this week. It's almost Saturday!
My phone popped out of my pocket while I was canoeing. I heard it hit the canoe, but didn't hear a splash, so I thought it fell inside. Wrong. It's at the bottom of the lake. I have a new phone, that is a real pain trying to set up. It doesn't want to talk to my computer or my tablet.
After dropping my phone in the drink, I dumped myself in, whilst trying to get out of the silly thing. I laughed pretty hard, and felt pretty cool for awhile after.
The next morning, my husband had a 'fraud alert' from Paypal and called that number. When I got up, he was talking to a supposed employee. I compounded the issue by not realizing how he got into this and helpfully offered my computer to try to sort things out. He uses QWERTY and a trackball, I use Dvorak and a mouse. I can't use his computers.
So I'm changing passwords, watching the banks doing the main part without my phone to validate anything.
But it's been a good week, nevertheless 😯 We celebrated my middle son's 42nd birthday today.
PopSugar 43/50
AtY 37/52
Curiosity Killed the Bookworm: 18/25
Rocky Horror Challenge 8/12
Finished:
Die Herren von Winterfell by George RR Martin The German series has 10 books, rather than the 5 in English. So Ned Stark is still alive.
The Coroner by MR Hall Book 1 of the Jenny Cooper series. I started watching the CBC series before I realized it was a book first. The TV series is placed in Toronto, with Jenny as a newly widowed doctor, the books are set in England, where she is a lawyer and a divorcee, enough of a difference to make it interesting. Well written and fast moving.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher For whatever number that is, a granny hobby.
Currently Reading
Gerry Rafferty: Renegade Heart for #37 a book about a pop star.
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner Book 4 of the Queen’s Thief series. This is an audiobook, like the first 3 I listened to. This has a different reader however, and is not nearly as entertaining.
Better Than the Movies, German Edition by Lynn Painter (10%) I believe it’s a teenage romance, looks like enemies to lovers. I was about to DNF this one but remembered I paid for it. The fault is mine, not the books. The teenage MC reminds me too much of myself at that age. It will work for teen angst.
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston For AtY. Mona inherits an enchanted apartment in NYC. She seems to be sharing it with a man whose timeline is 7 years previous. I just started it but it seems pretty interesting.
DNF
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis I’ve read this before. Not the same characters as the other Oxford time travel books. I just need to move on.
QOTW
Off the top of my head, I'd have to say 'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Loved it in my teens, tried reading it for a challenge a year or two ago and couldn't stand it. The author went into some detail justifying why he felt he had to drop acid in order to write the book. Hey, fine, drop acid. I don't care, just don't spend all this time telling me you had to do it. You don't kill someone in order to write about murder. Anyway, 2nd time around, intolerable.
😊 😯😉☹
Kate wrote: "This has decidedly not been my week. The latest insult is that Goodreads has deleted my list from the 'Post Your 2026 Reading List'. How I can keep track of this year's reads is going to be a probl..."oh no! you've had a terrible week!!
I can at least help you find your list. It is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
If you click on the date & time in the upper right of the comment header bar, your comment will be the top one on your page, then you can bookmark it.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Kate wrote: "This has decidedly not been my week. The latest insult is that Goodreads has deleted my list from the 'Post Your 2026 Reading List'. How I can keep track of this year's reads is going ..."Thank you! I looked exactly there and refreshed the page over and over and it was nowhere to be found. But here it is, right where it belongs, yay!
Wow it was HOT last week, but it's finally cooled down to normal summer temperatures.
***** Admin stuff *****
The July group read (granny hobby) is: A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking (Kingfisher has been popular this year in group reads!) You can join the discussion here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
The August group read (Afrofuturism) will be: Death of the Author
The September group read (a book told in letters) will be: The Correspondent
The October group read (overweight character) will be: The House in the Cerulean Sea
The November group read (debt) will be: Spinning Silver
The December group read (horses) will be: Horse
Let us know if you'd like to lead any discussions!
This week I finished 4 books, 1 for this Challenge, so I am now 42/50:
When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams- ANOTHER fantastic novel from Beatriz Williams! I love her books and this one was one of the best!! It's another multi-timeline love story filled with yearning set on Winthrop Island.
Chaotic Orbits by Beth Revis- I LOVE this series and I was so happy to see it collected into one volume. Counting this as a book I read feels a bit like cheating, since I'd already read the three novellas, and it's just the novelette at the end that was new to me. Exciting news for anyone who has enjoyed these books: the novelette STRONGLY implies that we will soon be getting more books in this series!
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez- I read this specifically for the "about a pop star" category, and it definitely fit the bill since most of the plot is about the difficulties of being a suddenly popular pop star in a new relationship, but I did NOT like this book. I almost gave it one star, but in the end I decided it had been reasonably entertaining at some points so I settled on two stars. This is actually the first book Jimenez ever wrote (although it's not the first she had published - she explains in the author's note that she won a publishing contract with this one but then real quick wrote a sort of prequel to this one which served as book #1 in the series), and ... you can tell. Her writing style has improved immensely since then. I won't be reading any more books in this three-book series. Her newer stuff is much better. (I say that, but I also REALLY did not like her latest book! I used to think I had found a new favorite author with her, and she was an auto-read for me, but now I'm starting to think maybe she just had a few really good books and that was it.)
Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead - this was a lot of fun (if a book about murder and vengeance can be "fun")
THREE of the books I finished this week were from NetGalley, so my NG ratio is now 88%
Question of the Week
This week's question is from Doni:
What is a book you read at just the right time?
I LOVE the thoughtful nature of this question, and I'm sure this has happened to me, but I cannot think of any examples! I was going to sit on this question until a week when I had the perfect answer, but that's not fair LOL I'm hoping that reading all of your answers will inspire me to remember my own.