Here's my updated monthly categories for the year and six titles I'm eyeing!
My reading life continues to delight and surprise me -- I love finding that perfect combination of engaging writing, compelling themes, and a well-paced story! This year, I achieved my goal of tackling longer books like Fourth Wing, Babel, Demon Copperhead, Wellness, The Heart's Invisible Furies, Fellowship Point, and The Lincoln Highway; read several debut novels including Black Cake, The Silent Patient, In Memoriam, Lark at Night, and The Bluest Eye; and for better or worse, joined the bandwagon in reading buzzy new releases including James, The God of the Woods, The Wedding People, and Sandwich. I'm sharing fun stats, favorite reads, and what I've learned about choosing the right books for me.
Highlights:
- 66 titles
- 68% female author
- 30% nonfiction
- 21% BIPOC author
- 17% 2024 releases
- 59% audiobooks
- 2 re-reads
- Went to West Seattle's Silent Book Club with neighbors
- Continued my personalized monthly prompts, and attendance in multiple Book Clubs :)
- Read 7/9 books on my initial reading list for the year
My 5-star ratings are based on how much I enjoyed the reading/listening experience, which is usually a direct correlation with how enthralled I was by the writing/language. How much the story and themes stick with me, and how enthusiastically I recommend to others helped narrow down my very top favorites below:
Our family's approach to screentime and media consumption has continued to work for us and felt good this year! We had some clear favorites as detailed below but there's so much out there to consume and/or avoid -- I continue to welcome recommendations and suggestions!
Favorite Shows
We've established that each child gets to pick one show on the weekend days for a "triple-header" viewing. A bonus of having siblings :)
This is the third year in a row I'm embracing a "no-plans November" where I intentionally try to keep our plans to a minimum. After a busy month of October, I love carving out several weeks to slow down and allow for spontaneity. We have very little on the calendar and it feels great :)
This approach is particularly helpful this year as I'm project managing a high profile event for work and anticipate a bigger workload for the next two weeks. I am, however, looking forward to taking ~6 weeks off between Thanksgiving and New Year's. I'm still figuring out what I want that stretch of time to look like, but ultimately hope it's personally restorative and domestically productive!
Around the Corner
- Election Day -- feeling apprehensive. I really hope Kamala Harris wins!
- Book Club discussions
- An overnight getaway for me and Mr. Fleece in Fremont!
- NLW student-led parent/teacher conference
- Misfit's Thanksgiving at the Cabin
Adventures Bucket List
- Discovery Park
- Uwajimaya
- 12/14 Pathway of Lights
Non-fiction November -- Here's what I'm considering picking up:
Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis byJ.D. Vance
The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power by Katherine Morgan Schafler
There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib
Our love for library books cannot be stopped! Fun premises, unique characters, beautiful pictures, plus silly, heart-warming, or rhyming words — there are many ways a book can win me over! I uncovered even more whimsical, creative, and enjoyable children's books this year. Here's my curated selection — the ones I want others to know about!
