In my weekly newsletter, I include short cookbook reviews and what I’m reading for fun. Eating & reading are two of my favorite activities, so it feels really natural to share my love of both with you each week.
I enjoy planning what I’m going to read next and conversations about books almost as much as I enjoy reading. Indulging in these activities is a hobby that brings a lot of joy to my life and easily folds into my busy life as a parent.
I’d love to hear about your reading life, too. Feel free to share what you’re reading now and/or how you fit reading into your busy life. I always love book recommendations! While you think about it, I’ll fill you in on my reading life.
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My TBR List (to be read)
I keep a running list of books I want to read on an app called Reading List. I use the free version, which doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, and that’s why I like it. It’s a simple list on my phone that I can update whenever I come across an interesting book.
Here’s what you can do with the Reading List app:
Keep a list of what you want to read
Keep track of your start and finish dates for books
Rate books with stars and make notes about books (I always note who recommended the book)
Organize books into folders (for example, I have a 2022 folder, so I can look back at what I read last year)
Sort books within a folder by finish or start date, star rating, etc. This makes it easy to see which books are my favorites throughout a year.
The only thing I don’t like about this app is that I can’t move books around on my TBR list and put them in a specific order. Otherwise, it’s a handy way to keep track of what I want to read and look back at what I’ve already read.
If you’re someone who likes to make lists and keep track of accomplishments, it’s very satisfying to watch your list of finished books grow!
If you really want to nerd out, there are several podcasts that offer very nifty book tracking spreadsheets with a Patreon membership. These spreadsheets let you track and organize your reading life in a million different ways. (check out Sarah’s Bookshelves or Currently Reading.)
Books currently at the top of my TBR list
Too Many Books, Too Little Time
I really like keeping a TBR list, but sometimes it feels overwhelming. There are so many books I’d love to read and sadly I will never have time to read them all. I get the same melancholy feeling in book stores sometimes.
Currently, I have 47 books on my list, which is more than I can read in a year.
Periodically, I’ll purge books off of my list. I’ve also become more ruthless about not finishing books that just don’t draw me in. This helps me move through my list a little bit faster. I’ve also gotten better about not adding fantasy or science fiction books even if they sound interesting, because I know that these genres rarely work for me.
How & When I Read
Nothing exciting to report here. I read paper books, from the library, usually at night before I go to bed.
I usually have two books going at once, a novel and a non-fiction book that I’m slowly working my way through.
I’m making a conscious effort to prioritize reading on weekend days or earlier in the evening. I like the extra reading time and I like having my kids see me read for pleasure instead of staring at my phone or cleaning the kitchen. But, there are often more interruptions while I’m reading, which drives me bonkers.
Audio books just don’t work for me right now. When would I listen to them?
I have nothing against e-readers; I just haven’t felt a need for one yet. However, that time might come soon. Now that I’m sitting at more sports practices, I can see the benefit of having books loaded on a Kindle that I can keep in my purse.
Also, I don’t always want my kids to see and comment on the books I’m reading, which always happens when they’re stacked by my bedside. It would be nice to have a little bit of reading privacy, especially when I’m reading parenting books.
I’m a voracious vacation reader. Give me an airplane ride or a blanket on a beach and I can tear through a stack of books. I’ve mentioned once before that I’ve started reading books set in the place where I’m vacationing, which I love. (Such as reading The Midcoast when I was isolating with covid during our vacation in Maine or The Boys in the Boat when in the Pacific Northwest).
Where I Get Book Recommendations
I occasionally get recommendations from friends and family, but mostly from Podcasts
(I’d love to get recommendations from you! Please leave a comment with what you’re reading now!)
Podcasts that help me gather book recommendations include:
I also really like the Books Are Magic website, which is the online version of a real bookstore in Brooklyn owned by author Emma Straub and her husband. So many great recommendations! This is also a great site to get books recs for your kids.
Favorite Authors
This is a tough one. I read widely and not always loyally. But my ears do always perk up when I hear that certain authors have a new release out.
Lauren Groff, Anthony Doerr, Elizabeth Gilbert, Ann Patchett, and Molly Wizenberg come to mind. And of course, L.M. Montgomery, who filled my childhood and early teen years with stories about Anne Shirley.
Phew! I think that covers it. I’d love to hear more about your reading life. Don’t be shy!
xo
Jenny