Wrap Up - September Week 1 - Sep 1 - 5

 

Books that I read August 1 - August 5, 2026

All My Sisters and Me	Sheryl Lister
Heart of Glass	Jennifer Hillier
The Devoted	Catherine Cho
Skyward	Brandon Sanderson
The Sherlock Society	James Ponti
We Chase Shadows	Richard Osman
The Raging Storm	Ann Cleeves
Hurricane Heist	James Ponti
Art Attack	James Ponti
Starsight	Brandon Sanderson
Anger Is Only a Shadow	Elizabeth Acevedo
Make It Out Alive	Allison Brennan
The Wonder of One	Suzanne Redfearn
The Case of the Christie Conspiracy	Kelly Oliver

Brief book summaries

1. All My Sisters and Me — Sheryl Lister
   Four sisters-in-law struggling with jealousy, family tensions, and complicated relationships must confront long-held secrets during a weeklong anniversary celebration that could either tear them apart or bring them closer. 
2. Heart of Glass — Jennifer Hillier
   When a convicted killer recants his confession to the murder of a teenage girl 25 years earlier, her former best friends are forced to revisit the night that changed all their lives while a new series of crimes unfolds. 
3. The Devoted — Catherine Cho
   A woman determined to escape her family’s connection to Hong Kong’s Triads is pulled back into that dangerous world when her young son is kidnapped. 
4. Skyward — Brandon Sanderson
   Spensa, the daughter of a disgraced pilot, dreams of joining humanity’s desperate fight against alien invaders and finally earning her place among the stars. 
5. The Sherlock Society — James Ponti
   Siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock and their friends form a summer detective agency that begins investigating a decades-old treasure mystery and uncovers a much more dangerous conspiracy. 
6. We Chase Shadows — Richard Osman
   Amy, Rosie, and Steve take on their first official case after a mysterious body is found at an Italian villa, sending the amateur detectives on a globe-trotting hunt through a maze of suspects and secrets. 
7. The Raging Storm — Ann Cleeves
   When a famous adventurer is found murdered in a dinghy during a violent storm, Detective Matthew Venn returns to a community from his troubled past to uncover a web of old secrets, rivalries, and betrayals. 
8. Hurricane Heist — James Ponti
   After a hurricane uncovers the body of a man believed to have stolen a million-dollar fortune six decades earlier, the Sherlock Society investigates the long-unsolved heist—and discovers someone still wants the truth buried. 
9. Art Attack — James Ponti
   The Sherlock Society goes undercover in Miami’s street-art scene to track down the elusive graffiti artist Funky Munky, leading them into an investigation filled with colorful clues and plenty of danger. 
10. Starsight — Brandon Sanderson
    Spensa ventures beyond her home planet and into enemy territory, where her mysterious powers and encounters with new alien civilizations force her to question everything she knows about the war. 
11. Anger Is Only a Shadow — Elizabeth Acevedo
    Seventeen-year-old Lil, already dealing with the juvenile justice system, must navigate family upheaval, loyalty, and her own anger while trying to figure out what kind of person she wants to become. 
12. Make It Out Alive — Allison Brennan
    When FBI agents Matt Costa and Kara Quinn investigate a serial killer targeting newlyweds, they become victims themselves and must survive a terrifying, deadly escape room while their team races to find them. 
13. The Wonder of One — Suzanne Redfearn
    Born with a facial birthmark and determined not to let prejudice define her, Vivien Kendall pursues her dream of becoming a champion figure skater while discovering the power of resilience, friendship, and believing in herself. 
14. The Case of the Christie Conspiracy — Kelly Oliver
    When a fellow mystery writer is murdered and Agatha Christie disappears, young investigator Eliza Baker sets out to prove Christie’s innocence while unraveling a dangerous mystery within London’s Detection Club. 

JULY 2026 WRAP UP

 

📚 44 books this month

 📑 14,440 Pages 

Avg pages per book 328

Avg pages per day 465

📚 381 books this year

 📑 120,848 Pages

Avg pages per book 317

Avg pages per day 572 

42 Novels

1 Novella

1 Anthology

31 NetGalley ARCs 

10 Library 

1 Purchase

2 Shelf

7 KU

43 NetGalley Reviews

Audiobooks

January - 47

February - 25

March - 23

April - 30

May - 40

June - 36

July - 21

4 Cozy Mystery

3 Historical Fiction 

9 Inspirational Romantic Suspense 

2 Literary Fiction

10 Mysteries & Thrillers

5 Psychological Thrillers

1 Romance

5 Romantic Suspense

2 Science Fiction

2 Women’s Fiction 

- - -

I would have to say that my favorite book for July would be The Winners by Fredrik Backman. I read book one last month, Beartown, and this month Us Against You and The Winners. This was a compelling read. It was much longer than the first two books. I was able to immersive read with all three of these books and they all touched me deep in my soul.

- - -

My favorite book in June was Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I have been talking about this, but I never took the time to check out this author. This month I plan on reading next two books in the series and then at least one of his other books. The responses that I got when I said I was interested in reading this very positive, and I could say that I was definitely pleased.

- - -

I would have to say that my favorite book of May would be My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand. I listened to her narration of her memoir. It was a 48 hour audiobook (1040 pages). My Bookly app shows that I broke it up in 13 reading sessions.  That is a bit less than 4 hours a session, at about 2.5x.  Honestly, if I didn’t have such a massive TBR, I could have easily read it for longer hours per session. 

She recounts her life in exquisite detail. This includes how she became a star - her years on Broadway, then film, her early and continued singing career, her marriage to Elliot Gould and then to James Brolin, and the many romantic liaisons in the years between those marriages.  It felt like a conversation with her and the hours flew by. 

- - -

My favorite read for April was Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson. I read this book because it is an upcoming group read.  First I had a long hold at Libby, and almost let that borrow expire. So glad that I didn’t, as I read it and found it to be very, very good. I learned about “Brown Babies” - mixed-raced children who were abandoned or ended up in orphanages in Germany after the war. It is a dual-timeline story as it also goes to the mid-1950s. Three central characters - Ethel Gathers, Ozzie Phillips and Sophia Clark whose stories eventually converge. 

- - -

My favorite read for March was When I First Met You by Lori Foster. This was an early March read for me, and it was also an early ARC since it’s set to be released in mid-July. The story revolves around Glory and Kam, two individuals who have both overcome tragic pasts. Despite their hardships, they’ve managed to build stable lives. However, Glory is facing harassment from a man she briefly dated.

The two characters connect through their shared pasts and a strong emotional pull towards each other. Lori Foster’s writing has a knack for evoking a wide range of emotions. In this case, like her upcoming book in May, The Lake House, this novel goes beyond romance. It delves into some serious themes but is wrapped in love, tenderness, and showcases the inherent kindness of the characters. 

- - -

Kin was my favorite book in February. Kin is an amazing book where two friends who were cradle mates went their separate ways around the age of 18. One never got over her mother‘s abandonment, and the other moved on with life, even though her father had killed her mother. At some point, they made a reconnection and started to share letters with one another and rebuilt what was lost. The book was haunting, tragic, heartbreaking, but also had a keen sense of healing. It is a book I will think of for a long time to come.

- - -

For January, my favorite read was This Book Made Me Think of You by Lizzy Page. This is a story that is about love, loss and healing. Tilly was grieving the loss of her husband just over the past year and was reminded of him in a very sentimental way. When her husband Joe knew that he was dying, he crafted a very specific gift for Tilly, a book that she would only receive once a month for the next 12 months. Not only was each book carefully chosen for Tilly, they also opened up doors of opportunity that she might not have taken otherwise.

MID YEAR READING WRAP UP

Well, we are halfway through 2026 and I have already mentioned that I raised my reading goal from 365 to 600. In June I read 66 books. The first screenshot is all six months in one (from the Goodreads Challenge Factory Group), Google Sheets monthly stats, my 2026 reading bracket and screenshots of each month from the Bookly app if you are interested in the ratings. I am more than happy to discuss any book with you. Also, here are my favorite books of each month so far. They are:

- - -

My favorite book in June was Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I have been talking about this, but I never took the time to check out this author. This month I plan on reading next two books in the series and then at least one of his other books. The responses that I got when I said I was interested in reading this very positive, and I could say that I was definitely pleased.

- - -

I would have to say that my favorite book of May would be My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand. I listened to her narration of her memoir. It was a 48 hour audiobook (1040 pages). My Bookly app shows that I broke it up in 13 reading sessions.  That is a bit less than 4 hours a session, at about 2.5x.  Honestly, if I didn’t have such a massive TBR, I could have easily read it for longer hours per session. 

She recounts her life in exquisite detail. This includes how she became a star - her years on Broadway, then film, her early and continued singing career, her marriage to Elliot Gould and then to James Brolin, and the many romantic liaisons in the years between those marriages.  It felt like a conversation with her and the hours flew by. 

- - -

My favorite read for April was Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson. I read this book because it is an upcoming group read.  First I had a long hold at Libby, and almost let that borrow expire. So glad that I didn’t, as I read it and found it to be very, very good. I learned about “Brown Babies” - mixed-raced children who were abandoned or ended up in orphanages in Germany after the war. It is a dual-timeline story as it also goes to the mid-1950s. Three central characters - Ethel Gathers, Ozzie Phillips and Sophia Clark whose stories eventually converge. 

- - -

My favorite read for March was When I First Met You by Lori Foster. This was an early March read for me, and it was also an early ARC since it’s set to be released in mid-July. The story revolves around Glory and Kam, two individuals who have both overcome tragic pasts. Despite their hardships, they’ve managed to build stable lives. However, Glory is facing harassment from a man she briefly dated.

The two characters connect through their shared pasts and a strong emotional pull towards each other. Lori Foster’s writing has a knack for evoking a wide range of emotions. In this case, like her upcoming book in May, The Lake House, this novel goes beyond romance. It delves into some serious themes but is wrapped in love, tenderness, and showcases the inherent kindness of the characters. 

- - -

Kin by Tayari Jones was my favorite book in February. Kin is an amazing book where two friends who were cradle mates went their separate ways around the age of 18. One never got over her mother‘s abandonment, and the other moved on with life, even though her father had killed her mother. At some point, they made a reconnection and started to share letters with one another and rebuilt what was lost. The book was haunting, tragic, heartbreaking, but also had a keen sense of healing. It is a book I will think of for a long time to come.

- - -

For January, my favorite read was This Book Made Me Think of You by Lizzy Page. This is a story that is about love, loss and healing. Tilly was grieving the loss of her husband just over the past year and was reminded of him in a very sentimental way. When her husband Joe knew that he was dying, he crafted a very specific gift for Tilly, a book that she would only receive once a month for the next 12 months. Not only was each book carefully chosen for Tilly, they also opened up doors of opportunity that she might not have taken otherwise.

- - -

Mid Month Wrap Up and 2021 Reading Goals

Well, I cannot believe we already halfway through the first month of 2021! Where has the time gone? In fact, where have my updates gone? It has been a couple of months since I have done a wrap up of any sort, but since my January has been going so well, I thought I would let you know how things have been going.

I have been super busy -- from reading, to diamond painting, to getting new books and coloring supplies, and to even treating myself to an Apple Watch SE!

For starters, let's take a look at where my reading is for this month thus far:

(This is from The Goodreads Challenge group, and each book cover is clickable.)

Monthly # pages: 5934
Books read this month: 23
Running total # pages: 5934
Running total # books read: 23

Currently Reading


Read


TBR



What about my hobbies?

Well, with regard to diamond painting, I have finished two:

Mad Kitty by Diamond Art Club

Seaside Dreams by Dreamer Designs

This is one of my current projects:

This is Sitara from Diamond Art Club

I am also eager to begin adult coloring again, so I found this 180 set of Soucolor colored pencils to add to my huge stash. I also bought all seven of the Mythographic Coloring books, three by Fabiana Attanasio and four from Joseph Catimbang.

Here are the links for the pencils, the gorgeous pencil case and the coloring books: 

Soucolor 180 set of colored pencils - https://amzn.to/38OcCVu 

Shulaner 200 slots colored pencils case - https://amzn.to/2XKl3Lp 

Mythographic - Frozen Fantasies - https://amzn.to/3ssapHn 

Mythographic - Odyssey - https://amzn.to/2LETwsf 

Mythographic - Imagine - https://amzn.to/3qrvcZx 

Mythographic - Enchanted Castles - https://amzn.to/3qk4zWy 

Mythographic - Animals - https://amzn.to/38NQivo 

Mythographic - Paradise- https://amzn.to/3iwcyxb 

Mythographic - Aquatic - https://amzn.to/3bMannK 

In addition to all of this, as you can see in the first image above, I set my Goodreads Reading Goal for 2021 for 500 books. This is the same goal I had last year, and I did indeed pass it and completed 626 books.

This averages to 357 pages per book and 800 pages read per day in 2020. Basically, I read a book in the morning and read intermittently throughout the day. This way I am averaging pretty much two books per day. This is helpful because some days I simply cannot read due to pain or depression, then on other days I read several books in a day.

I posted my January reads above, but here is the quick Year in Books screenshot from Goodreads.

Not only did I set my reading goal, I also set my series goal for 2021. Here are some screenshots of a few of the series I completed in 2020.

And here are the series I am already reading and want to finish in 2021 as well as ones I would like to begin:

I have already binge read the Bridgerton series after binge watching the Netflix series. Also, quite a few of these series I have already began. For details, please check out this video:

Also, at the beginning of the month, I did make a video which detailed my 2020 and what I want to do in 2021. 

Well, that is my update! I hope to touch base at the end of the month with my wrap up of all the books I read in January.