Forgot Some

 

When I got home yesterday I had two packages waiting for me. Yes, more books to add to the 2026 list.

The ever-growing 2026 list is being added to the ever-expanding currently reading (and I use the term loosely) and TBR pile:

Some have been on the pile for a few months and are just on pause. Some have been on it since it was a simple list and not three piles, a basket and a drawer. And looking at Booker D. Penguin reminds me that I have one more piece of book mail coming. 

I haven't gotten mail from Penguin in at least six years (in a previous job). I got so much from them that when I won the aforementioned penguin at a carnival I had to name him Booker. I mean, was there another choice? One of the authors I got to interview in the old days was Shari LaPena and it was for "The Couple Next Door," mentioned on the cover of this book. I remember liking her and the book.

As for giveaways ... I can't even tell you how many Goodreads giveaways I've entered recently but it's been a lot. A lot. I don't know if winners are chosen by the luck of the draw or if there's an algorithm or whatever, but I haven't won in a long time. I have to wonder if it's because of my reviews. One of the conditions of the giveaways is that you write an honest review. I do that but I don't write a synopsis of the book when I write a review. I figure anyone who is reading a review has already read the synopsis and some blurbs and, more than likely, other reviews. They don't need my synopsis, too, so I just get straight to what they came for: My opinion. I do that for all my reviews. If I start getting paid by the word or by the inch, I'll start writing more.  

 

Book Review: A Brilliant Adaptation: How Dissociative Identity Disorder & the Power of the Therapeutic Bond Saved Me

 Fascinating. Best explanation & description I have ever read about how it feels to have many “states” and how she interacted with them and, later, how they integrated. Also, the best explanation I’ve heard — in layman’s terms — about why it’s now DID and not multiple personality disorder anymore.

I appreciate that she focused on how DID kept her as mentally healthy as possible and not how it made her feel like a freak or basket case. Too often people concentrate on the mental "illness" and not the strength it took for the person to survive the unimaginable abuse they endured through any means possible.

Some parts of the therapy sessions were a little confusing and hard to read, but I completely understand why she wrote it that way, and it does give a deeper insight into those sessions. 

Many thanks to Booktrovert (NetGalley) and Harbinger Publications for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Race to the End? Or Save for Next Year?

 I had hoped to get to these three books by the end of the year. Sadly, I will only get to one of them: Return of the Spider. 

My Christmas tradition, for many years, has been to stay up all night on December 25 and read the new Alex Cross, which I had just received (or bought for myself) for Christmas. 

Realistically knowing that I would not get to these books but optimistically thinking I might, on Saturday I bought this book because, not only am I intrigued by it, just about everyone I follow on tik tok has recommended it, and it was one of the picks of one of my local independent bookstore's book club's last month. (It's the book club I like to say I belong to although I've never been to a meeting. I do buy the books, though.)

 

 

 

The reason I believe I will not get to all of those books is that I am currently reading/listening to these: 

I have a nearly one-hour commute (half an hour each way) every day and needed something for the next couple of days so I searched Libby for something "available now." Ann Patchett: Good. Narrator: Meryl Streep. Yes, please! I started it yesterday and had to remind myself to save some of it for today and Tuesday. It's so good! (The reason I had to remind myself is that on Saturday "The Favorites" by Layne Fargo was available on Libby via audiobook. I couldn't stop listening and finished it that day.)

Anyway, I can't remember where I saw a snippet of an interview with Jodi Picoult where she was talking about "nineteen minutes" being one of the most banned books in the country. Of course that made me want to read it. Thankfully, because this was very late on a Thursday night and too late to go out shopping and I wanted it now, it was available on Libby e-reader.

I started "bright lights, big Christmas" a couple of weeks ago because I hadn't read a Christmas-y book in a while. I had been reading some pretty dark stuff lately and needed a change. And, you can't go wrong with Mary Kay Andrews, right? (I might finish before Christmas if I put everything else aside -- other reading, crafting, cleaning -- Tuesday after work and Wednesday.)

But, wouldn't you know it? I belong to a trivia team that plays once a month at the local library. We came in first last week and three books, two of which I had already read, were in the prize package. This was the third:

Well, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this will be my Christmas read for next year.

Don't worry, though. Not finishing those books does not put me in danger of not reaching my goal for the year. My original goal was 26 books. (I had been in a slump for a few years.) I reached that fairly early in the year so I bumped it up to 33. I reached that, too, but didn't change the goal because I didn't want to tempt fate. So far, I have read 108 books (327% of my goal). That could be the most I've ever read in a year. It's the most I've read since I started keeping track.

Next year's goal is 52 (the fate thing again) and I have four picked out already.

Fonts

I prefer Courier.

I'm just sayin'.

https://online-fonts.com/fonts/courier

RIP Sophie Kinsella

 

Sophie Kinsella, the bestselling author of the "Shopaholic" series of novels, has died, her family announced Wednesday, 18 months after she revealed she had an aggressive form of brain cancer.

She was 55.

Kinsella enjoyed extraordinary success, selling more than 50 million copies of her books in 60 countries, with translations into more than 40 languages.

Read more from NBC News: Sophie Kinsella, author of the best-selling 'Shopaholic' novels, dies at 55 

Photo from Sophie's Facebook page. 

Anne's Book Challenge 2026

 It's the time of year when book lovers search for reading challenges for the next year. 

There are themed challenges, challenges sponsored by publishing houses and reading tracking sites. Even some authors have challenges.

Then there are just random people like me who come up with something. So, if you're looking for something but you're not quite sure what it is, why not try this? You can do it with friends Bingo style or by yourself. It's up to you. No one's checking, which also means there's no prize. It's just for fun.

And, by the way, there is a theme. If you guess it I may be able to come up with a prize after all.

 

 

Anne’s Book Challenge 2026

Read a book that is/has

1. Historical fiction (any era)

2. A one-word title

3. An author with your initials

4. Set in a country other than the United States

5. A memoir or biography

6. A classic novel (your definition of “classic”)

7. Flowers on the cover

8. Set in a place you’d like to visit

9. Been made into a movie or TV show

10. A number in the title

11.     Been written by a female author

12. A holiday theme

13.     Been published in 1960

14.      A blue or predominantly blue cover

15.      An author’s debut novel

16. A theme of friendship

17.     Non-fiction

18.     An animal on the cover

19. Been recommended by a friend

20. Set in the state where you live

21. Won a prize or award 

22. A title that starts “B”

23. A Female, Senior Citizen Protagonist

24. An Author who is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University

 

Suggested books by St. Bonaventure University graduates:

Boys in the Bunkhouse by Dan Barry

Pull Me Up: A Memoir by Dan Barry

Bottom of the 33rd by Dan Barry

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney ‘82

Good Company by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Lake Effect by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney (coming out in 2026)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going Back to 'Back in My Day ...'

 

I decided I’m going back to how I used to choose books when I was 9-years-old. 

Pull one off the shelf at the library (or the Scholastic Book Fair), look at the cover, maybe a couple of pages on the inside. If it gives me good vibes I check it out (or buy it, or have a parent buy it). If I don’t feel anything, I put it back.

I have a vague recollection of knowing what a book review was in Scholastic News and book “information” in Highlights magazine, but I don’t remember putting much weight on either of those factors when choosing books. It wasn’t until 6th grade when Nancy Drew entered our atmosphere that word of mouth meant anything to me when choosing books. Even then, it was more of an image or status thing than a book quality thing. My mom bought me a couple of Nancy Drew books but all of the cheap, knock-off Robin Kane books. Know what? Robin Kane was much better. Sadly, the girls reading Robin Kane (I wasn’t the only one) were teased relentlessly. Sorry, but, “The quality of the writing is far superior in the Robin Kane books, so we’re getting the better deal in every way” just doesn’t cut it coming from an 11-year-old.

Nancy Drew to Freida McFadden is a long and odd jump, but here we go.

So many books and authors these days are over-hyped. I don’t even know how to define or describe over-hyped in a way that it would make sense in this context other than you hear so much about a book or an author that you feel as if you have no choice but to read the book because it’s the best thing that was ever written. But you started reading it and it’s just OK at best. Is that because your expectations were too high? Is it because the book really isn’t as good as people say it is? Is it good, but there’s something seriously wrong with you? Is it good, but just not your cup of tea? 

For example, if I hadn’t heard or read anything about Freida McFadden would I have picked up a few of her books just because the covers intrigued me? You bet. And I still would have stopped reading after I realized most of her plots are the same. The last book of hers I read, I figured out the ending on page 5. But people love her. In my opinion she’s over-hyped but, because people know I’m an avid, voracious reader I felt almost pressured into reading a few (OK. Seven.) of her books. 

But now? Well, Give me Karin Slaughter or any of the Lisas* any day. 

(I should point out that I’m not a book snob. James Patterson is one of my favorites and he churns ‘em out just as fast as Freida does. I only read two of the New York Times 100 Most Notable Books of the Year. Only 31 others are on my TBR list.)

I’m not just picking on Freida** because she’s an easy target. Some books that are supposedly the best ever written are big snoozefests as far as I’m concerned. 

One example: “Moby Dick.” I listened to it on audible and literally used it as a bedtime story. It would put me to sleep in less than five minutes. I don’t remember if I ever got through the whole thing. Frankly, I don’t care.

Definitely not a snoozefest, but also definitely not for me: If “Mrs. Dalloway” is the best thing Virginia Woolf ever wrote, I won’t be reading anything else of hers. That thing gave me such anxiety I returned it to the library (via Libby) after about ten pages and seriously considered taking a Xanax.

A more current book I DNF’d is “All the Colors of the Dark.” Someone told me it gets better after about 100 pages. Sorry, but if you can’t grab me in the first ten pages, I’m out.

Usually.

I will stick with an author I like, but that’s another story for another time.

The point is, although I love to give my opinion on books and I think every person who reads is entitled to give their opinion on books, I’m not going to listen to anyone’s opinion to choose the books I read anymore. 

I will read reviews and discussions and watch tik toks and reels afterward, though, because discussing a book with a like-minded reader is almost as fun as reading the book.

*Gardner, Jackson, Jewell, Scottoline, Unger

**I would like to clarify that I don't have anything against Freida McFadden. Actually, I've read more of her books than anyone else's this year. It's just that, after reading all those books, I've decided she's not my thing. Will I go back to her? Probably. Do I look down on people who like her? Abso-freakin'-lutely not! I don't care what anyone reads as long as they're reading. 

Book Review: The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

 This book started very slow for me and then when I saw that the next chapter would take an hour (I read it on a kindle) I almost DNF'd it because I don't like long chapters, and I wasn't sure how I felt about the
house. Saying anymore about that would be somewhat of a spoiler. However, I do like Kate Quinn, so I put it aside for a couple of weeks and went back to it when I felt more ready to concentrate on longer chapters.

I'm glad I did.

The book is filled with interesting characters, most of whom are given their own chapters, and interesting situations, some of which one normally does not think of when thinking of the 1950s. A few times, I did wonder what the point of the story was, and why these diverse characters are brought together, but the author ties it all up in a satisfying and beautiful way.

Book Review: The Faraway Inn by Sara Beth Durst

From Penguin Random House:

After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn—but the fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret—in this cozy and irresistable new YA fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s B&B in rural Vermont for the summer, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.

To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B—and its guests. Something almost . . . otherworldly.

The inn is hiding a magical secret—but secrets are like doors. Once Calisa opens this one, she won’t be able to go back 

My Review:

(Note: You just read the book description. You don't need me to go over it again, right?)

I love the characters, and the story is addictive. I want to stay at the Faraway Inn, or at least work there. This book totally immersed me in the story and made me forget about what’s happening in the world, at least for a little while, and I sure do need that. 

Thanks to Booktrovert and Penguin Random House for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Faraway Inn is scheduled for publication on March 31, 2026. 

November Reading Wrap-Up

 

RIP Fern Michaels

 

"Kensington Publishing mourns the loss of Fern Michaels, legendary bestselling author, animal lover, and dear friend. Fern was a wonderfully spirited and generous woman, granting scholarships and donating bullet-proof vests to K-9 dogs across the country, all while writing the romances and thrillers readers have cherished for decades. It has been our honor and joy to share her stories and warmth with you for more than 30 years.

Our hearts go out to her family and loved ones."

 

 I had the pleasure of interviewing her once. She was just as delightful as you would expect her to be.

 

Out of My Slump

 I have been in a reading slump for several years.

It was so bad that for the last three years my goal in the Goodreads Challenge was only 12 books a year. And in 2023 I didn't even make it! I read only nine books that year; 14 in '22; and 16 last year.

The highest number I have ever read was 90. That was in 2014.

I will at least tie that this year. Tonight, in fact, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

I started out with a goal of 12 and passed that pretty early in the year so I decided to be really adventurous, choose a new goal and shoot for something way out there. Thirty-three. 

I'm at 89 with 10% left in one of the three audio books I currently have going. (Don't ask how many kindles and physical books are in progress. It's more than I will admit.) 

There is a kind of irony to how I have come out of the slump. It's audio books. I have an hour-ish commute to work five days a week (30-ish minutes each way) and, no offense to my pals on the radio, I'm really sick of radio. All of it. The "witty banter," the ads, the music, news. Especially the news. And it takes me too long to decide which of my playlists, favorite podcasts, or Substackers I want to listen to. As long as I only give myself one to three choices of audio books, I'm good.

According to Storygraph, so far this year the number of audio books I have listened to has surpassed the number of physical books I have read, 43% to 37%.  The other 20% is digital in case you're doing the math.

Back to the ironic part. When I had jobs that had me living paycheck to paycheck and books were my biggest luxury purchases I dreamed of having a job where I could buy a book without having to budget for it. Now that I have that job, I use my library card more than ever. I have eight "holds" on the Libby app and they're all audio books. 

One other cool thing about the number of books I've read this year is that I've expanded my interests. I discovered that I enjoy magical realism. I like some fantasy. (I should have realized that much sooner. "The Wizard of Oz?" Hello!)

I haven't been this excited about reading in a long time. Even longer ago than 2014. Although I read 90 books that year, most were by authors I was going to be interviewing (Oh, poor me!) and the reason these best-selling authors enjoyed coming on my little show is that I actually read their books. I did get to interview Sue Monk Kidd about what is now one of my all-time favorite historical fiction books, The Invention of Wings. And I did one of my favorite interviews in all of my nearly 16 years in radio: Jim Beviglia on "Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs." We agreed to disagree on Rosalita vs. Born to Run.

As I tie my highest finished book count in more than a decade later this evening, I hope I never forget the feeling I have right now. It's akin to the feeling I had the first time I read a book to my parents and when I got my first library card and checked out a book all by myself. 

Here's to tying, then surpassing, the record, and never getting into another slump!  

 

Reading Wrap-Up for October 2025

 

Life's Too Short to Stick With a 'Bad' Book

 

I really don’t like putting a book on the DNF shelf. I’ve always felt that if someone put in the effort to write a book the least I can do, after picking it up, is finish reading it.

But over the last few months I’ve come to the realization that life’s too short to stick with books that aren’t touching me in some way. I’ve DNF’d more books in the last 6 weeks than I have, probably, in the last 6 years. (I’m not including “paused” books in this note. I’ll touch on that some other time.)

Before I DNF a book, though, I do go to a site or two to see what other people think of it, and I usually go to the one- or two-star reviews to see if any readers are picking up the same vibe I am. It makes me feel better (kind of) when I discover that they are.

It’s especially hard to DNF a best-seller or anything that’s beloved by readers. I start to think something must be wrong with me if I don’t like it. Then I remember that not everyone has the same taste in books. I also try to remind myself that if someone challenges me on why I didn’t like or didn’t finish a book, “not everyone has the same taste” is all I have to say.

Wouldn’t the literary world be boring if we all like the same thing?

(I have finished all the books pictured.) 

Let's Try This Again ...

I've read 57 books so far this year and, I'm confident that by the end of the week that number will be 60. It was not that ago that I couldn't even read 26 books a year. That's only 2 books a month, which makes me feel much better about the only 7 I read last month.

I do have an excuse for September, though. I was without a car for most of the month, meaning my audio book "reading" was cut by 40 minutes per workday. Also, my Bona Girl Trip was in September so my nighttime reading was cut down by a little. 

At least the majority of the books were good, though. 

For the first time ever I was disappointed with a Lisa Gardner book. I love Frankie Elkin but One Step Too Far just didn't do it for me. I will keep reading Lisa's books, though. And, after all, 3.75 is not a bad rating. I just thought the last 1/3 was too slow-paced.

I've never read Stacy Willingham before but had read good reviews of her books so I chose the audio book of Forget Me Not for my Book of the Month Club selection. (I was not impressed by another selection. For October, I was so unimpressed that I'm skipping this month.) It was OK but -- and sorry for this -- forgettable. It was very slow for the first 3/4 then had too much jammed into the lat 1/4. I might read her again. I'll decide when and if I get to that point. 
 

Mary Higgins Clark (who I still miss) and Alice Feeney haven't let me down yet. (I know All Around the Town is quite old, and I don't know how I missed it when it first came out. I am, however, grateful that I was able to pick it up at the Bemus Point Library book sale.) 

It's very unusual to have more than one 5-star rating in a month. I had 3 in September. Jane Eyre. Need I say more? I was late to the party for Remarkably Bright Creatures but so glad I finally got to it. The Secret Book Society, although historical fiction, is very relevant for the times in which we are living. It's the current selection for the Sounds Novel Book Club. This month's meeting will be my first and I'm looking forward to it.  

I'm keeping track of my reading on Storygraph and Goodreads (Fable, too, but I'm going to leave there after my reading streak gets to 366 days.) I also have a physical book journal. Why I need to keep track here, I don't know (Compilation of everything, I guess). And, I don't know if I'll keep up with it. But I do love reading and books, and looking at books, and talking about books, and writing about books, and going to libraries, and searching Libby for books ... You get the idea. So, we'll see what happens here. I'm hoping I don't go 11 months without posting like last time.

Note: The August graphic is to show that I have been doing better than 7 books a month.