We’re in the midst of annual Top Ten Tuesday topics at That Artsy Reader Girl, and this week’s is the top ten books we’re most anticipating that are being published before the end of June. Here are mine:

1. Jasper Fforde’s Dark Reading Matter
2. Rainbow Rowell’s Cherry Baby
3. Deana Raybourn’s A Ghastly Catastrophe
4. T.J. Klune’s We Burned So Bright
5. Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra
6. E.B. Asher’s This Will Be Interesting
7. The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
8. Kory Stamper’s True Color
9. By The Book by Jessica George
10. Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

How about you? What’s coming out in the next six months that you’re excited to read?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. As of the start of the week, the sun is now setting after 5 p.m. here (and the sun is up before 7:30 for those of you who care about that part).

2. Rudi makes borscht and we exchange the last of our gifts on Russian Christmas.

3. We got 60s and sunny one afternoon this week, so I took chai and a couple books to the park.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

About halfway through the summer, I stopped tracking my reading in all the places I’d been recording them, save on Goodreads. But I didn’t stop reading. I’d like to get caught up with reviews here in the next week or so and then share my favorite 2025 reads. And, so, here are my thoughts on what I finished back in July and August:

Empire of Shadows by Jacquelyn Benson

This was a fun read for those who like Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Jungle Cruise, or The Librarian movies/tv series. Ellie — a suffragette arrested during a protest, recently fired museum archivist (see aforementioned activism), and aspiring archaeologist — finds herself in possession of an illicit map that hints that a legendary South American city may exist. The biggest of her problems? A villain knows she has it. So what’s a newly unemployed middle class young woman to do? Get on a boat and go find out, of course! Once she lands in Belize (then British Honduras), she finds it necessary to join forces with an American surveyor and tour guide and hot foot it on her way. They’ll face danger from natural forces, local villagers, and their own mutual distrust, in addition to the unethical people pursuing Ellie in hopes of reaching the mythical city first.

Paper. Library copy. (more…)

This year’s #TBTBSanta was a wonderful success. I sent cards and a box of gifts out into the world and received some in return.

Holiday cards arrived from places as far flung as New Mexico and Alaska:

Thank you Rochelle, Heather, Lark, Denise, and Melissa!

And here is the wonderful package I got, which I took up to Connecticut to open on Christmas itself:

As you can see, Kai spoiled me:

There was a new tshirt, two books I’d really been coveting, bookmarks, stationery, stickers, lip balm, a pin, a bracelet, socks, pens, tea, and tasty treats.

And Kai made sure Ember and Coal were included, too. Ember didn’t even make it down to the floor with her treat. She stopped on the sofa to munch it.

And Coal, in perhaps one of his boldest moments yet, grabbed that feathery toy and bolted with it! This is the best shot I could get. All the rest were blurs!

Thank you so much, Kai! This was such a lovely gift!

Happy 2026! Here are three beautiful things from the last week of 2025:

1. Sarah, Rudi, and I agreed that the movie we picked for New Year’s Eve, Marty Supreme, hadn’t worked for any of us. (I left at about the halfway point when I realized I’d rather be listening to my audiobook in the theater lobby than continue watching.) While it’d be easy to see that as a downer, I like to think that means that the New Year starts on an up swing. (And any year that begins with friends is a positive one, let’s be clear.)

2. The cats were delighted to have me back after a week in Connecticut. It’s the longest I’ve left them before, and Jordan’s final catsitting report suggested that they were starting to feel my absence. They both curled up with me and were happy that I chose to stick close to home most of the next day.

3. My Christmas cookie list contains a baker’s dozen types. I got two made while up in Connecticut, which is a good start.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. Rudi, my parents, and I had a very nice Christmas. Presents were given, food was consumed, long distance greetings were exchanged, wrapping paper shootout was held (Rudi won, but he was the closest to the bags), and music was sung along with. We wound down watching a movie in front of the fire.

2. John reached out on Saturday to suggest dinner out with Rudi and Jasen, and our pal Ellie ended up joining, as well. It was really nice to gather together one last Saturday before the end of the year.

3. Jordan, Jasen, and I watched the NCAA Division 1 volleyball finals together on Sunday. Texas A & M put together a Cinderella story clinic, beating a number 2 and three number 1 seeds (including undefeated Nebraska!) on their way to their first championship in program history. Their blockers were on point after they got past their jitters in the first set. And it was great to watch with friends who love volleyball as much as I do.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?