Ell-in-OR Reads (and Weaves, Knits and Sews) in 2026
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2026
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1ell-in-or
Hi! I'm Leigh aka Ell-in-OR. I'm In Portland Oregon (no we aren't on fire or rioting), and I have a corgi, a garden, a bazillion books and enough fiber art supplies hoarded to last a dragon's lifetime. I also have a tolerant husband who is currently learning bluegrass guitar. My favorite genres are urban fantasy, mysteries, and history. I'm currently enjoying my IT job, and my husband is not quite retired.
My biggest 2026 Resolution is NO DOOMSCROLLING! In pursuit of that goal, I am re-joining the 75-book challenge, Jane Stafford's Weaving Guild, and trying to spend time in my studio generally. It's quite unlikely that I will actually finish 75 books. I did in 2024 (just barely) but felt obligated to read every minute and it eventually felt like a chore. I didn't like that feeling, but I did like seeing all the books I read in a year. So this year I'll also add the other fun stuff in each month's tally.
January 2026
1/1 - Baking Bad by Kim Watt
2/2 - Yule Be Sorry by Kim Watt
3/3 - A Manor of Life & Death by Kim Watt
4/4 - A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka
5/5 - Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
6/6 - Game of Scones by Kim Watt
7/7 - A Toot Hansell Christmas Cracker by Kim Watt
February 2026
8/1 - Coming Up Roses by Kim Watt
. . . . .Finished a green knit hat for husband
. . . . .Finished a red "Melt the ICE" hat
9/2 - Bonfire of the Calamities by Kim Watt March 2026
March 2026
10/1 - Something in the Waters by Kim Watt
11/2 - ICE Out by Charles de Lint
12/3 - Junkyard Roadhouse by Faith Hunter
. . . . . Finished another Mellt the ICE hat for my brother.
13/4 - Depth of Winter by Craig Johnson
14/5 - Pushback by Mary Fissel
15/6 - A Missed Murder by Michael Jecks (if skimming counts. not his best work. characters annoying)
16/7 - The Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory
April 2026
17/1 - The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
18/2 - The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris (Paris Bookshop Mysteries Book 1) by Mark Pryor
19/3 - The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Wooly Dog by Liz Hammond Kaarremaa
20/4 - The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (a delightfully unique book)
May 2026
. . . . . Homework for the Double-Weave class
. . . . . Double-weave Class (3 days)
. . . . . We got the patio and porch ready for summer
21/1 - The Amorlin Library by Kalyn Josephson
22/
My biggest 2026 Resolution is NO DOOMSCROLLING! In pursuit of that goal, I am re-joining the 75-book challenge, Jane Stafford's Weaving Guild, and trying to spend time in my studio generally. It's quite unlikely that I will actually finish 75 books. I did in 2024 (just barely) but felt obligated to read every minute and it eventually felt like a chore. I didn't like that feeling, but I did like seeing all the books I read in a year. So this year I'll also add the other fun stuff in each month's tally.
January 2026
1/1 - Baking Bad by Kim Watt
2/2 - Yule Be Sorry by Kim Watt
3/3 - A Manor of Life & Death by Kim Watt
4/4 - A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka
5/5 - Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
6/6 - Game of Scones by Kim Watt
7/7 - A Toot Hansell Christmas Cracker by Kim Watt
February 2026
8/1 - Coming Up Roses by Kim Watt
. . . . .Finished a green knit hat for husband
. . . . .Finished a red "Melt the ICE" hat
9/2 - Bonfire of the Calamities by Kim Watt March 2026
March 2026
10/1 - Something in the Waters by Kim Watt
11/2 - ICE Out by Charles de Lint
12/3 - Junkyard Roadhouse by Faith Hunter
. . . . . Finished another Mellt the ICE hat for my brother.
13/4 - Depth of Winter by Craig Johnson
14/5 - Pushback by Mary Fissel
15/6 - A Missed Murder by Michael Jecks (if skimming counts. not his best work. characters annoying)
16/7 - The Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory
April 2026
17/1 - The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
18/2 - The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris (Paris Bookshop Mysteries Book 1) by Mark Pryor
19/3 - The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Wooly Dog by Liz Hammond Kaarremaa
20/4 - The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (a delightfully unique book)
May 2026
. . . . . Homework for the Double-Weave class
. . . . . Double-weave Class (3 days)
. . . . . We got the patio and porch ready for summer
21/1 - The Amorlin Library by Kalyn Josephson
22/
3PawsforThought
Hi and happy new year (and thread)!
I had to have a peek at your library and you have SO MANY interesting fibre arts books! I've hardly done any crafting the past couple of years (timewise I've had to choose between that and reading and reading has won out), but I miss it.
I also need to cut down on doomscrolling next year (if nothing else it takes time away from reading!)
I had to have a peek at your library and you have SO MANY interesting fibre arts books! I've hardly done any crafting the past couple of years (timewise I've had to choose between that and reading and reading has won out), but I miss it.
I also need to cut down on doomscrolling next year (if nothing else it takes time away from reading!)
4PaulCranswick
Nice to see you back again for 2026, Leigh.
5justchris
All the happy new years for 2026!
>1 ell-in-or: Yeah, no fires or riots in St Johns for me either. I am all admiration for learning bluegrass guitar. I'm trying to regularly attend our local weekly bluegrass jam. Right now, just as audience, but i hope to work up to some day fiddling. I hope you spend lots of quality time in the studio this year. And read lots of fun stories.
6ell-in-or
>5 justchris: Hi Chris!
Where's the local bluegrass jam? I don't think he's quite up to joining in yet, but we might come listen. Thanks for the good studio wishes!
Leigh
Where's the local bluegrass jam? I don't think he's quite up to joining in yet, but we might come listen. Thanks for the good studio wishes!
Leigh
7ell-in-or
>4 PaulCranswick: Thanks!
8ell-in-or
>3 PawsforThought:
I see we have the ever-unfinished Name of the Wind in common. Plus Terry Pratchett and Phryne Fisher! How delightful.
Ugh, the doomscrolling. I have people and groups I follow on FB, but there's so much extra crap. I wish there was a better alternative.
I see we have the ever-unfinished Name of the Wind in common. Plus Terry Pratchett and Phryne Fisher! How delightful.
Ugh, the doomscrolling. I have people and groups I follow on FB, but there's so much extra crap. I wish there was a better alternative.
9ell-in-or
>2 drneutron: Thanks! It is nice to be back. :)
10justchris
>6 ell-in-or: 45th Parallel wine bar in St Johns. Wednesdays 6-8 pm. Yep, all I'm up for is listening but hope to someday progress to participating. We'll see. I'm not even attending regularly yet. We'll see.
