If you’ve been wondering where I have been, let me catch you up. Trigger warning, if you do not want to hear about medical stuff.
Mid-2025, I had my first appointment with my new PCP. The clinic had been redistributing patients and I was one of the people who was shuffled. At our visit, we reviewed my medical history, and she thought it would be a good idea to do an ultrasound to check my uterine lining, since I have PCOS and hadn’t had a cycle in a long time.
At the ultrasound, they saw something that could be a polyp and wanted to biopsy it. I had the choice of doing it in clinic or in an OR setting. Historically, I haven’t tolerated clinic procedures very well and decided to go the OR route. That way, they could take a more comprehensive look with a hysteroscopy and do a D&C to scrape out any overgrown lining and be able to examine it more fully.
I’ve had a few D&Cs before and didn’t think much of it. They scheduled it for the day after Christmas. I had a great care team and everything went as planned. They were mindful of my diabetes and mitochondrial myopathy, and I learned a few things about managing the mitochondrial disease during surgery. Pathology from the procedure would take about a week or so to come back, but I didn’t have any concerns about this, since it’s routine to have these things go to Path.
My phone rang on January 3rd, a Saturday. It was my OB surgeon. He asked if I had read my pathology results (not yet, they had only come in an hour ago or so), and if I wanted to get my fiancé on the call.
The pathology came back as Endometrial Intraepithelial Neoplasia (EIN), which is a direct precursor to endometrial cancer. If someone doesn’t want surgery right away, they can put you on hormone therapy to keep it in check for a while, but the definitive solution is a hysterectomy. He also noted that once they do the hysterectomy, in 40% of the cases, Pathology will find that there was already endometrial cancer present.
We had been talking with my doctors to see if pregnancy was still a possibility after we got married, but the chances were pretty low with my PCOS and age. Given all of that information, we decided that it was best to proceed with the hysterectomy.
I met with my GynOnc doctor and we scheduled the surgery for March 3rd.
Six stab wounds and an incision later, I’m at home recovering. Moving around is really slow, but I’m getting better.
Pathology came back yesterday, and it looks like I’m NOT one of the 40% and they did not find endometrial cancer in the specimen, just a lot of the EIN. I’m really glad that we caught it early. I will be off work for a while recovering and don’t have my post-op appointment for a few more weeks.
That’s what has been taking up most of our focus this first part of the year. I’m prioritizing rest, healing, and watching way too much YouTube. I’m attacking my TBR pile and only slightly worried about running out of books to read. 😂 Let me know if you have any recommendations for passing time during my recuperation!
Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco – I have been reading this little by little throughout February. It is sitting on my nightstand and I try to read every evening; however, usually I don’t get very far before I turn off the lights and go to sleep. It is an interesting story so far. This is Book #2 in the series and the Prince of Gluttony is fighting a secret threat to his circle that involves the ice dragons to the north of his territory. At the same time, a young reporter is trying to feed her ungrateful family by writing about the Prince’s exploits.
New Releases
Just Friends by Haley Pham – Most people know of Haley’s husband, Ryan Trahan, as a popular YouTube personality, but I found Haley’s YouTube channel first and enjoyed her bookish content. Once I start enjoying someone’s content, I do like to support them when I can. I also like that Haley prefers closed-door/low spice romances herself and is proud of her Christian faith, so I’m eager to see how this reflects in her first novel. It tells the story of Blair and Declan, childhood friends-to-lovers, who suffer some kind of traumatic event that disrupts their relationship. I’m interested in seeing how Haley navigates the dual timelines in her storytelling. This book releases on March 3.
Off-Limits Love in Shenandoah by Olivia McCarthy – Olivia is a local author who attends my church and writes closed-door romances and YA fantasy. This book is the second in her National Parks RomCom series and releases on March 6. I will 1000% read all of the books in this series, both to support Olivia, and also because I love National Parks and love seeing places I’ve been used as locations in novels. This story contains age gap and brother’s best friend tropes. The FMC, Lynette, runs into trouble hiking the Appalachian Trail and Ben comes to her rescue. While I haven’t been to Shenandoah National Park yet, I have hiked about 0.0002% of the Appalachian Trail! (Yes, I did the math.)
Toe to Toe by Falon Ballard – Releasing on March 10, this follows Allegra, a principle ballerina who is told that she needs to work on her sex appeal. Enter Cord, who needs help choreographing a partner piece for his show. While I do love sports romances, those set in the dance world have been hit-or-miss for me, but something in the blurb caught my attention when I was perusing the anticipated releases.
The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn – Also releasing on March 10, this is the third book in the Bloodwing Academy series. I pre-ordered the special edition to match the first book, On Wings of Blood, which I read and liked. I do not yet have the second book in the series (I think I’m waiting to see if they publish a matching edition), so I’ll likely not add this book to my TBR this month. I didn’t read the blurb too much, because I didn’t want any spoilers.
Beneath by Ariel Sullivan – Releasing on March 24, this is a prequel to Conform. I have a copy of Conform, but I haven’t read it yet, so while I may pick up this book this month, I won’t be officially adding it to my TBR. This book is set hundreds of years before Conform and follows characters 6 years after a nuclear disaster.
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez – Abby’s novels have been consistently enjoyable for me, so it’s no surprise that I added this one to my list as soon as I heard that a new book would be releasing on March 31. Since it’s releasing so late in the month, I won’t be adding it to the TBR. I’m a little confused by the blurb. It sounds like Larissa connected with a guy during a car ride home from a concert, but then gets into a relationship with his best friend. Did the boyfriend steal his friend’s identity? So curious…. This is a sequel to Say You’ll Remember Me.
What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally – Being the only boat leaving the marina as the dark clouds roll in sounds like a bad idea to start with. The boat is chartered by Emma’s new boyfriend, but is he an innocent victim of the weather alongside Emma, her best friend, Hannah, and her brother, Jackson, or is something more sinister going on? We will find out March 31. I also will not be adding this book to my official March TBR, due to the late-in-the-month publication date.
Book Club Picks
For my brother’s Moon Lit Bookclub selection for March, we will be reading The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen. Raised as a warrior to fulfill her father’s revenge against another kingdom, Lara is sent as a peace offering to be the rival king’s bride.
For my brother’s Welcome to the Apocalypse book club, we will be reading The Girl in Red by Christina Henry. A post-apocalyptic Little Red Riding Hood retelling.
Overdue Library Books
Now that I’ve finally gotten that email from the library, letting me know that they will no longer auto-renew my selections and I really, really need to finally return them… I will put them on my TBR so that I can actually read them and then get them back.
Screenshot
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood – Two elite athletes working through the stressors of college life, high level competitions, and past traumas. Do they have a no-strings agreement, or something more permanent?
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune – This is the sequel to Every Summer After, where we are now following Charlie’s (Sam’s brother) story. The first book was very atmospheric and made me think back to my days at my cousins’ cabin on the lake in Michigan. I gave it 5 stars, so I have high expectations for this story. Alice once took a photo of three teens in a yellow speedboat, and that photo changed her life. Years later and now a photographer, Alice returns to the lake to help her Nan recover from an injury. Who else should return but one of the boys from the speedboat.
Random Selections
Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen – This was the February Romance Book Mail selection from Love & Other Books. Roslyn and Liam are headed for divorce after nine years, but before they can tell their family, they are asked to facilitate Roslyn’s grandparents’ vow renewal in Hawaii. Stuck on the cruise boat together, can they fake a healthy relationship long enough to actually repair what they have together?
The “Possibles” List
Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde – I’m thinking about reading this one in March, solely because it has green clovers on the cover. Melody is newly dumped and now stuck on a camping trip with her brother’s best friend, Zac.
The Price of Honey by Liane Moriarty – This was the free short story offered through the Amazon First Reads program for being a Prime member. A tech billionaire’s widow and three ex-wives gather for his funeral and one final betrayal. Looks like this is Book 1 of the Deadly Ambition series, part of Amazon Original Stories.
Maybe It’s Fate by Heidi McLaughlin – This was my pick from the Amazon First Reads program. Antonia leaves her corporate life behind in order to raise her terminally ill best friend’s children. Will she fall for the present and supportive coach? The correct answer is yes. The only question is: Will this book make me cry?
The Names by Florence Knapp – This was a free selection from the 2025 Lolly Finalists. It explores the idea of your name determining your path in life and a young, abused wife deciding between three different names for her newborn son. In alternate timelines, we get to see what his life might be like for each name she considers.
How to Write a Love Story by Catherine Walsh – This my Book of the Month pick for March. The daughter of a famous fantasy novelist is tasked with completing the last book in her late father’s series. Faced with writer’s block and a crumbling Irish estate, it doesn’t help that the publisher sends an editor to her doorstep to protect their investment.
Final List
My final initial TBR for March consists of 9 books, and 5 bonus books:
My official February TBR consisted of 13 books. Of those, I have read:
I didn’t read any of the 6 bonus TBR books.
Of the books I planned to read, but did not, 3 of them I do not yet own, so in the last week of February I officially took them off the TBR list and noted them as bonus books (in case I managed to buy them and read them before the end of the month):
Final result after TBR pruning was that I read 9/10 of my planned books. I’m pretty happy with a 90% finish!
Random Reads
February is all about Valentine’s Day in my planner, so when I saw that Amazon had a new series of short story romances (The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances series) as part of their Kindle Unlimited lineup, I decided to make my way through the audiobook versions.
More non-planned reads include:
Hot for Slayer, a short story that I saw on Kindle Unlimited. In general, I really like Ali Hazelwood’s books, so I thought that I would like this one as well. However, it deviates from her normal STEM-related romances and it just wasn’t for me. I’m starting to think that short stories in general may not be for me.
My friend, Monica, alerted me to First and Forever, which was being offered as an ARC (advance reader copy) on NetGalley, with an anticipated publication date of May 12. I love the banter that Lynn Painter brings to her novels and she’s quickly becoming a favorite author. This book was no different; I really enjoyed it! A die-hard fan gets canceled for shoving a beloved team mascot down a flight of stairs after he harassed her at a game, and during the media circus that follows, the football team’s management decides the best path forward is to have a star player take her out on a date to improve the team’s optics.
Monica also let us (her Let’s Peanut Butter Taco ‘Bout Books Facebook group) know that Kim Holden had released a new book, Eye for an I. Another of her books, Bright Side, destroyed me; I have never cried so much while reading a book. This new book is in the same world and has cameos by other characters in the Bright Side series. This book follows a girl who has been hired to be the photographer and social media manager for a new brothers/duo band who nabbed an opening act spot on a tour. It reminded me of Mayluna by Kelley NcNeil, which I also gave 5 stars.
March’s Theme is Shift & Renewal. This can be a tricky time of year, weather-wise in Michigan, but even if the snowstorms are lingering, there are signs pointing to the warmth to come and signs of renewed life all around us.
I feel that — for me — TBR lists are always going to be a fluid thing, with me adding books and taking some off the list as the month goes on. Typical mood reader behavior. But also, I’m a planner girl and it makes me happy to have lists and goals, so…. Let’s make a list at the beginning of each month and review it at the end of the month to see what happened.
Carried Over from Last Month’s TBR
Could I have finished Six Crimson Cranes in January? Possibly. However, on the last day of the month, I finished the audiobook for Dating After the End of the World about 11:30 pm, and I was only 50% through Cranes. It was a battle I was going to lose, but I picked up my Kindle and read for the final hour of the month. I didn’t try to skim through it, though, because I am enjoying this story. It has a Brothers Grimm fairy tale vibe that reminds me of my childhood. I will finish this book up this month. It will be the first time that I’ve finished both of my brother’s book club selections in a while (even if technically I didn’t make the deadline).
I am very excited to read Catch Her If You Can because I’ve read the previous books in the Big Shots series and really liked them. Honestly, I would have started reading it already, but I wanted to do justice to my book club selections.
While I had placed all of the January new releases on the January TBR, I knew that some of them I actually wanted to read in February. For example, Chasing the Ring is about an NFL quarterback seeking a Super Bowl ring, so obviously I should read that the week (or day) before Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, right?
The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will be held from Friday, Feb. 6 to Sunday, Feb. 22, so I want to read Fated Skates in that timeframe, assuming that I can pull my attention away from 24/7 Olympics coverage to read.
One of my local indie booksellers,Love & Other Books, didn’t have Only on Gameday in stock when I was there for book club, so didn’t pick it up in time to be read for January, but this would be another good book to read leading up to the Super Bowl.
So, a couple of questions for you:
When I decide to read a book in a different month, do I officially take the book off my January TBR (when this will make my completion percentage look “better”), or do I leave it there as an indication of an unfulfilled plan?
I have some books on my TBR that I intended to buy and read, but ultimately did not. Should these be taken off the TBR until I have purchased them? Should I have a separate section for To Buy?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Books that I absolutely, definitely meant to read in January but did not for whatever reason (book club picks, I’m looking at you!), I will leave on the TBR in all of their incomplete glory.
I started Axe and Grind in January, but it was so confusing in the first few pages that I set it aside on my nightstand. I tried picking it up again, but didn’t get very far. Right now, I have it set to a Paused status on StoryGraph. I don’t think I’ve given it a fair shot yet, but I’m also not in the right mindset to want to struggle through a tough section.
Rings of Fate I just did not get to. I do think it sounds like a good story, but I’m not sure that I will be able to complete it in February.
New Releases
The next set of books added to my TBR are the books that will be releasing in February that I’m interested in.
Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco – This book releases on Feb 10, however I have been buying the paperback versions and this is the hardcover release. So, I went out and bought Throne of Secrets, which is Book #2, and will have that on my TBR for February instead. But the Throne of Nightmares release reminded me to pick the series back up. I won’t add Nightmares to my TBR until I buy it.
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood – I tend to enjoy Ali’s books; there’s just something about the banter and the STEM settings of many of them that appeals to my nerdy side. This one is also giving Ready Player One vibes, so maybe a 5 star prediction for me?
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees – The married couple in this book find a time machine and get to rediscover how they fell in love. The dangerous temptation is to alter the past, which can threaten their future.
Half City by Kate Golden – A demon hunter falling for a demon? Trying to find her father’s murderer? Training up her skills in a school for special people like her? Tell me more….
Survivor: Forged by Fire by Jeff Probst – I have been binge watching seasons of Survivor lately and am excited for Season 50 to start on Wednesday, Feb. 25! They have a site with merch and I pre-ordered this book.
To Buy
From January’s new releases, I still need to purchase:
Only on Gameday by Kristen Callihan – Their mothers were best friends. And now, August needs a fake-fiancée to rehab his public image and Penelope needs someone who can help her pay the taxes on her grandparents’ house she inherited.
Love Goes Viral by Camille Stochitch, Alexander Berman, and Estelle Laure – Love is a pop star with a public image crisis and Austin is a small-town boy from her past that is struggling to save his family diner.
My Book of the Month selection for February is Stolen Midnights. It’s a YA Fantasy about a girl anticipating a special gift from the Fates on her 18th birthday, and a young thief hired to steal that gift. But what does it mean when the gift is a locket with the thief’s image inside? This is a new release for February 3rd, and is set to be the start of a series.
I still have to pick out my Amazon First Reads selection for February, as they haven’t updated the site from January’s selections.
Book Club Picks
Another set of books on my TBR are book club selections.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – My brother has two book clubs that he runs on Fable. This is February’s selection for the Moon Lit Bookclub (horror, sci-fi, fantasy). To be honest, I had to read the blurb a few times to try and get a grasp on what this book is about. There are two women: Harrowhark, who is a necromancer trying to save her family legacy, and Gideon, who is a reanimated corpse trying to regain her freedom. They were rivals in the past, but now they need each other to achieve their goals.
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry – This is the February selection for my brother’s other book club on Fable: Welcome to the Apocalypse, which titularly focuses on apocalypse-related reads. Zombies are everywhere and Benny turned 15 and needs a job if he doesn’t want his food rations to be cut. What happens when your zombie hunter is a teen who thinks the job is boring?
Random Selections
At the beginning of the month, these are likely going to be books that I impulse bought the month before. But, occasionally, I’m sure I’ll decide to throw some backlist books in here that I want to tackle, or that fit the season.
Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco – This series follows Princes of Sin, which correspond to the seven deadly sins. Secrets follows Gluttony’s story. It makes me happy that I was able to buy the sprayed edges, paperback edition that matches my copy of Throne of the Fallen.
Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen – I had nominated this book for my brother’s book club this month, but it was not selected. However, it still sounds intriguing and the salesman at Barnes & Noble said he really enjoyed it, so I’m excited to read it this month.
The “Possibles” List
These are books that I acquired in January, but haven’t read yet. I do intend to read all of the books that I buy, but I’m not sure if I want to officially place these books on my February TBR, or slot them in somewhere else. I’ll likely add these to the TBR that I track in StoryGraph as “Bonus” books.
In His Wake by Chad Zunker – This was an Amazon First Reads selection for January. A presidential candidate has been assassinated and his murdered father might not only have been involved, but may also be alive?!
The People’s Library by Veronica G. Henry – This was another Amazon First Reads selection. They gave us 2 selections for January. The library is under attack! But this isn’t just any library, it’s a collection of human consciousness. It sounds like a good sci-fi thriller, but also promises a contemplation of the ethics of this new technology as well.
Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde – This was an impulse purchase from Love & Other Books while I was there for book club. Tropes: brother’s best friend, sports romance, second chance, small town, forced proximity — I may check of all of the romance bingo boxes with one book!
Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart – I was originally interested in this book as something that both Donald and I would want to read. It’s marketed as “if The Martian and The Twilight Zone had a baby,” and I love the Martian. We both have enjoyed space dramas like For All Mankind on streaming as well, so I picked it up during a recent Barnes & Noble date.
Final List
My final initial TBR for February consists of 13 books and 6 bonus books:
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey
Chasing the Ring by Lauren Rowe
Fated Skates by Victoria Schade
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
You & Me and You & Me and You & Me by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees
Half City by Kate Golden
Survivor: Forged by Fire by Jeff Probst
Stolen Midnights – by Katherine Quinn
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco
Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen — Bonus —
Only on Gameday by Kristen Callihan
Love Goes Viral by Alexander Berman
In His Wake by Chad Zunker
The People’s Library by Veronica G Henry
Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K Wilde
Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart
I feel pretty good about this list, and 13 books will keep me on pace to complete my goal of reading 120 books this year (plus a buffer). Wish me luck! And let me know what’s on your TBR!
I started the month with a truly ambitious TBR list. I carried over all of the books that I planned on reading in December and added in a lot of the new release books that I intended to buy during the month.
TLDR; Scroll to the bottom to see a list of the books I read in January with links to my reviews.
Carried Over from Last Month’s TBR
First, the books that I carried over from December, thinking that I would knock them out early in the month while we were still in the “Twelve Days of Christmas.”
4.25 Stars
I did read Holiday Ever After, but I soon realized that I’m no longer in the Christmas mood and wouldn’t be reading the rest of these. I changed them from definitely being on my January TBR to “Bonus,” just in case I had a change of heart.
(While I was making this post, I found that the Elf books have #1.5 and #2.5 novellas, which I’ll have to remember when I go back to read this series.)
New Releases
The next set of books added to my TBR are the books that will be releasing in January that I’m interested in.
4 Stars5 Stars4 Stars
Dragon Cursed by Elise Kova – In a world where dragons prey on people, what happens when you think you may be cursed to turn into a dragon?
Of Course It’s Good by Jessica Secrest – I started watching her aggressive tutorials on social media and her cookbook reads just like those reels! I had the opportunity to meet her in person, and I’ve never laughed so much at an author event! So far, we’ve only attempted one recipe – Pizza Nachos – but they were a hit, Of Course!
Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey – This is the 5th book in the Big Shots series, which I have been enjoying. Madden is a MLB catcher and has been in love with Eve forever. Eve owns a burlesque club and recently took custody of her sister’s children and desperately needs to get healthcare for them. Also, she’s loved Madden since she was a kid. What starts as a marriage of convenience always turns into a happily ever after, right?
Chasing the Ring by Lauren Rowe – I’m moving this book to February, so I can read it just before the Super Bowl.
Only on Gameday by Kristen Callihan – I didn’t get a chance to buy this book yet, so I’m moving it off the TBR.
Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent – After causing a horrible wreck that hurt his best friend, Matt hasn’t been the same F1 racer he used to be. Chloe was just promoted to team principle, but still has to prove herself in this male-dominated field. When her childhood friend and crush is traded down to her fledgling F1 team, can they find a way to work together?
Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton – Just a simple story about a woman testing out the AI dating app of a tech billionaire, right? Nope! This one involves a criminal underworld and plenty of secrets held by both Josie and Axe.
Love Goes Viral by Camille Stochitch, Alexander Berman, and Estelle Laure – A pop star with an image issue. A small-town boy from her past trying to save his family diner. Will a temporary solution lead to long-term bliss? I haven’t bought this book yet either, so I will take it off the TBR for January.
Fated Skates by Victoria Schade – A figure skater and a speed skater, both looking for redemption at the Olympics. Can the win the podium and each other’s heart? I’ll be moving this book to my February TBR, so I can read it during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz – A cynical barmaid and a cursed prince enter into a fake-relationship situation.
Book Club Picks
Another set of books on my TBR are book club selections.
3.5 Stars
We Are All Guilty Here is the January Thrill Seekers Book Club choice, hosted by Tyler at Love & Other Books. I actually read the book ahead of time (shocker, I know!), and attended the in-person book club at the store on Thursday, January 22nd. It was so much fun! If you haven’t met him, Tyler is extremely funny and personable and made everyone feel immediately at home. The other members of the book club were very friendly and the discussion was insightful, entertaining, and we (mostly) stayed on topic. These book clubs are generally limited to 12 attendees due to space considerations in the store and usually sell out, so if you are interested in attending one, make sure to sign up as soon as they post the event for the next month’s book clubs (they have 5 or so book clubs that they run monthly across different genres).
The Goldens – This is January’s pick for my Buddy’s Book Club, where several friends and I get together at a local restaurant once a month. I quickly became notorious in the book club for starting the book the same day as the book club meeting. I try, but I enjoy the time with my friends even more than the satisfaction of completing the book.
Six Crimson Cranes – My brother has two book clubs that he runs on Fable. This is January’s selection for the Moon Lit Bookclub. I do try to read the selections every month, but I’m not consistent. Mood reader, what can I say? Moon Lit focuses on horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres.
Dating After the End of the World – This is the January selection for my brother’s other book club on Fable: Welcome to the Apocalypse, which titularly focuses on apocalypse-related reads.
Random Selections
I am a consummate mood reader, so even attempting to make a TBR ahead of time is a bit of a guess. I might toss some books in here that I want to try to read for the month, but in this case (since I’m writing this at the end of the month…) these are the books that I didn’t necessarily plan on reading in January, but they made it into my hands and onto my Completed bookshelves.
2.75 Stars4.5 Stars3 Stars
The Summer I Turned Pretty – I bought this book because my goddaughter and one of her sisters mentioned it to their mom, and Mom wanted to know if it was appropriate for them at ages 12 and 8. So I picked up two copies (one for me and one to give to them), but probably should have just borrowed a copy from the library first. It wasn’t a great read for me and — although the back of the book states that it is appropriate for ages 12+ — I disagree. I did, however, annotate one of the books for when the girls would be old enough to read it with some Auntie Jenn commentary.
Woman Down – I found out about this new release after I had made out my initial January TBR, but I purchased it on release day as an ebook and read it quickly. In general, I really like Colleen Hoover’s books. I’m not quite as much of a thriller fan as I am a romance fan, but this book had elements of both and I thought it was enjoyable.
Adventures in Amity: Tales from the Jaws Ride – I bought this book because it discusses Universal Orlando’s Jaws ride, and Donald used to be one of the skippers spieling for the ride. I loved the additional insight it provide to this part of his life, and think that it may be fun for him to flip through at some point and reminisce.
Love in Plane Sight – This was an impulse purchase, but it brings together my love of reading romance with my fascination with aviation, so how could I not get it?
How Did I Do?
Since I determined that the Christmas books “don’t count,” moved books that I’d prefer to read in February, and removed books that I haven’t purchased yet, that leaves me with 15 books total on my January 2026 TBR. Of those, I read 11, or 73%. For not really reading on a schedule, I am a little surprised that I was able to complete this many and didn’t wander too far from my list.
I picked up some books for the girls and read them myself before I wrapped them up, so while those count for my January reads, I’m not going to add them to my TBR. Happily, since they are gifts and not “Books Acquired,” it helps me out in my quest to read more books than I buy (for myself) this year! Before Gabby was born, I read a LOT of children’s books and reviewed them on a blog site I created for her. I wonder if I should return to doing this now that they are getting older and growing into middle-grade books?
As far as reading more than I purchase, I have read 14 books so far and acquired 20, or 70%. This isn’t meeting my goal yet, but it’s a lot more than my read percentage from the last two years.
Keep an eye out for my February TBR post, where you can see which books I plan on carrying over from January, new releases that I’m interested in, and book club selections.
I’ll make another “How Did I Do?” post at the end of each month to wrap up the month’s reading and give a few thoughts that I had about each book. I am trying to be better about doing actual book reviews either on StoryGraph or GoodReads, and I’ll try to link them in the blog posts.
Books Read
Holiday Ever After (⭐⭐⭐⭐1/4) by Hannah Grace – Review
The Summer I Turned Pretty (⭐⭐3/4) by Jenny Han – Review
We Are All Guilty Here (⭐⭐⭐1/2) by Karin Slaughter – Review
Note: This week, instead of taking a specific photo according to the prompt every day, I was not inspired by what I could photograph in my house and it was a bit rainy and cold to want to get outside. So, I ended up running around at the last minute on Sunday after Mass to take photos to fit the prompts. To keep up our last minute theme of this week, I also didn’t get to upload these photos until 10 minutes before the 10 pm cutoff time where my blog was set to auto-publish (I did this to give myself a deadline on purpose). This means that all of my photos are currently unedited.
This might not be a bad thing, though. While they will not look as good as they usually do, when I do get around to editing them, I can talk a bit about what my normal editing routine is like and what I choose to change.
Week 2 Prompt: Patterns in nature
I had intended to use a different photo for this prompt, but as I was uploading them, there was something about the shape of this tree that I really liked and swapped it out at the last minute.
Week 2, Day 2: A quiet corner
Knowing that I was going to be taking these photos after Mass, I had thought that either the Divine Mercy chapel or the area in the church with the votive candles by the statue of Mary between the confessionals. Both of these are quiet, reflective places that are great for prayer and reflection. The Divine Mercy chapel is a favorite place of mine. I love how cozy it is.
This is the edited version of my photo, added to the post as a Flickr embed. To my eye, it looks like this is a bit soft or blurry, compared to the actual photo. So, as an experiment, I uploaded the photo directly to my WordPress Media library below.
To my eye, looking at this from my laptop display, this direct upload appears to be slightly sharper. Let me know if you can see a difference.
Comparing the edited version to the unedited photo, I had adjusted the tilt (because I’ve never been able to hold a camera level), added contrast and pulled highlights. This helped to provide a bit more detail to the Divine Mercy painting and the stained glass window.
Week 2, Day 3: Something you’re looking forward to
On our latest grocery run, I picked up some chicken and carrots with the intention of making some homemade chicken soup. In an ideal week, I would make some kind of soup or stew on Sunday that we could keep in the fridge and have throughout the week.
Week 2, Day 4: Hands holding something warm
It was pretty cold today, but the wind was strong and made it feel quite a bit colder. After Mass, we were hungry and Donald was wanting a nice bowl of chili. We tried City Barbecue for the first time. Donald’s chili was made with brisket, and he liked it. I had the chicken tenders and mac & cheese – also pretty good. We liked their Original barbecue sauce best (after trying all of them), and the honey mustard and spicy ranch that they gave me for the tenders.
I did have a vision for this photo ahead of time and it did take another photo at a slightly lower point of view. Sometimes playing with perspective can give different moods to your image.
Week 2, Day 5: A peaceful walk view
After lunch, we went to Raintree Park, looking for a walking path that was close to the parking lot (since the cold wind was pretty vicious). The sun had peeked out between the clouds, so we got some sunshine and blue skies. The dusting of snow on the ground gives a bit of texture to the grass.
This photo (like all of them this week, except for the chicken soup) hasn’t been edited. It looks a little dark and flat because of the bright light of the sun, so I would play with the contrast and exposure a bit when I go to edit this.
In my edited photo, I tried to bring out the darkened pathway and ground, while preserving the blue of the sky. This happened due to the difference in light between the sun and the ground; the camera meters for an average exposure value for the photo, not wanting to blow out the sun, but the result is everything else being a bit too dark. Some fixes for this in camera are to use a graduated neutral density filter, so that it evenly darkens the sky portion of the photo, to make the overall exposure values similar, or to take several photos in a row where you use exposure compensation (or just adjust your settings manually) to take the same shot a couple stops overexposed and a couple stops underexposed (from your metered value) and edit them together with your editing software later. In your editing software, you may have an HDR feature that will try to approximate this for you automagically.
Week 2, Day 6: Something blue
We were so excited to see the blue skies arrive a bit later in the day. Seeing the sun comes out really lifts our spirits, especially since Michigan winter days are so often gray.
Week 2, Day 7: A reflection
I had expected to have to take a photo back at home for “A reflection,” but when I took a look at the photos I had taken and looked closely at this one, I saw a lot of reflection of the woods in the windows and paint and kind of liked that.
I’ll try to draw more attention to these reflections in the edit.
Final Thoughts for This Week
This is going to have to be a week where I give myself some grace. Not every week is going to have the same success or level of effort as other weeks. I may not have the same time or energy to pour into it. But I want to be okay with that. That is real life and this should be a fun thing to allow me to rediscover my love for taking photos instead of a string of deadlines.
I would love to hear of your photography stories and see any images you’ve created. Are you doing a Project 52 this year?
Granted, not the best photo, and I took it after we had already dug into our dinner, but making a warm dinner with my fiancé on a cold winter evening, and having the house fill with delicious smells – that’s a very calm and cozy feeling!
This is a Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Bake (with rice and topped with cheese). It was tasty and filling, and we will have a ton of leftovers!
Week 1, Day 2: Morning light through a window
I like these patterned, sheer curtains in the living room. My pine tree, Sport, loves all the light.
The lesson of the day is … I don’t know where exposure compensation is on this new camera. A Google search and YouTube video later, and I now have one of my dials set to adjust this on the fly! There is a learning curve to entering a new camera ecosystem, but I’m excited to get to know my Alpha better!
Week 1, Day 3: A favorite mug or cup
This is a bit difficult, since I have a lot of mugs that I really like! However, this one is special because my fiancé, Donald, took me to St. Thomas for my birthday one year. It was our first US Territory together! We will have to return and make the trip to the National Park there, but we had a lot of fun driving on all the steep and winding roads in our rental Jeep and looking at the beautiful water!
Week 1, Day 4: Cozy layers
Nothing is cozier than freshly laundered bed linens! It was my idea to look into the Scandinavian (?) method of having separate duvets/duvet covers per person. I figured that it would help with any cover-hogging situations. And, so far, it’s been nice and works for us. I especially love to snuggle into bed right after a wash day, when the bedding still smells like detergent. Sure, it’s work to remake the bed and wrestle with the fitted sheets and duvets, but it’s a nice little gift to yourself at bed time!
My friend, Stacy, used to run a Project 52 group on Facebook a number of years ago, and since then, I’ve always toyed with the idea of doing this again. I loved the community aspect of it. I loved how the different prompts would push me to think just a bit more creatively. And I loved how it encouraged me to keep picking up my camera.
This past December, I got a new camera for my birthday/Christmas: a Sony Alpha 7 IV, and I’m going to start up a P52! And, since it’s really hard for me to contain myself to “just” a P52 when the possibility exists for me to do a 365… I will have one “official” prompt for the week, but then add in 6 additional prompts in case I (or anyone who wants to join me) feels a little extra that week and wants to make it a daily thing.
My current plan is to post the images on IG, on FB (which is probably going to be the easiest place for friends to reply with images of their own, if they choose), on my Flickr in a P52.26 album that I will share publicly, and here on Cadyly.com, where I can write more about the image, how I took it, and my thoughts around it.
I have a link.tree in my Instagram bio, which will take you to all the places.
I will be starting today, Thursday, January 1, 2026, because “New Year,” but I will have my weeks start on Monday and go through Sunday – so this week will be a short week.
My plan is to have all of the prompts out by mid-month for the upcoming month, so you have some time to plan out your images, if you are the planning type.
🌱 January’s Theme 🌱
January’s Theme is Fresh Starts & Winter Light. I’ve listed out each week’s main prompt, as well as 6 additional prompts per week. Feel free to do any of the prompts that you want, switch them out, do something entirely different… Whatever makes you feel happy and engaged. This isn’t graded and it’s supposed to be fun! (I need that reminder more than anyone!)
Week 1 (1/1 – 1/4): Something that feels calm
Morning light through a window
A favorite mug or cup
Cozy layers
Week 2 (1/5 – 1/11): Patterns in nature
A quiet corner
Something you’re looking forward to
Hands holding something warm
A peaceful walk view
Something blue
A reflection
Week 3 (1/12 – 1/18): Light and shadow
Winter sky
Your favorite snack
Something old you still love
A moment of rest
A simple breakfast
A texture you enjoy
Week 4 (1/19 – 1/25): Your current view
Something that smells good
A sign or word that stands out
Something silver or gray
A self-care moment
Something handmade
A book or page
Week 5 (1/26 – 2/1): Something that makes you smile
Footprints or paths
A soft fabric
A daily ritual
Window reflections
Something white
A favorite color
I hope you enjoy watching my photography journey this year, and I look forward to seeing what you capture!
Paroxysm of Giggles / Critical Mass 