Christina reads 20 x 6 in 2026, part 2
This is a continuation of the topic Christina reads 20 x 6 in 2026.
Talk 2026 Category Challenge
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1christina_reads
Christina reads 20 x 6 in 2026, part 2
Lucie Cousturier, "Woman Reading"
Hello, and welcome to part 2 of my 18th category challenge! I live in northern Virginia, and by day I work as an editor at a nonprofit. Aside from reading, my main hobbies are music (piano, trombone, and singing) and community theater.
This year I'm reading 20 books in 6 categories, for a total of 120 books. As of July 1, I'm exactly halfway there!
1. Mystery Series on My Shelves: I could be doing better here...I've realized that very few of the series I chose for this category work with the MysteryKIT topics or my personal vintage mysteries challenge! Must plan better in future.
2. Owned but Unread Before 1/1/26: My yearly effort to decrease my TBR. I've tried to use books in this category for CATs, KITs, and Bingo. So far it's going well, as the category is more than halfway full!
3. Rereads: Surprisingly, this is also a category that is lagging behind. I guess I'm craving the charms of novelty this year!
4. Acquired in 2026: This one is filling up fast...at least it's mostly with library books!
5. Nook Books: I've made a decent dent here, but I always have to remind myself to look at my e-books for the CATs and KITs.
6. Office Book Club/Overflow: This category is a bit messier than I thought it would be. I was participating in two office book clubs (one focusing on classics, the other on sci-fi), but the classics group has essentially died, and the sci-fi group is on hiatus for the summer. So, I guess this is now more of an overflow category...but that just means even more flexibility for my reading choices!
Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!
Lucie Cousturier, "Woman Reading"
Hello, and welcome to part 2 of my 18th category challenge! I live in northern Virginia, and by day I work as an editor at a nonprofit. Aside from reading, my main hobbies are music (piano, trombone, and singing) and community theater.
This year I'm reading 20 books in 6 categories, for a total of 120 books. As of July 1, I'm exactly halfway there!
1. Mystery Series on My Shelves: I could be doing better here...I've realized that very few of the series I chose for this category work with the MysteryKIT topics or my personal vintage mysteries challenge! Must plan better in future.
2. Owned but Unread Before 1/1/26: My yearly effort to decrease my TBR. I've tried to use books in this category for CATs, KITs, and Bingo. So far it's going well, as the category is more than halfway full!
3. Rereads: Surprisingly, this is also a category that is lagging behind. I guess I'm craving the charms of novelty this year!
4. Acquired in 2026: This one is filling up fast...at least it's mostly with library books!
5. Nook Books: I've made a decent dent here, but I always have to remind myself to look at my e-books for the CATs and KITs.
6. Office Book Club/Overflow: This category is a bit messier than I thought it would be. I was participating in two office book clubs (one focusing on classics, the other on sci-fi), but the classics group has essentially died, and the sci-fi group is on hiatus for the summer. So, I guess this is now more of an overflow category...but that just means even more flexibility for my reading choices!
Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!
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1. Mystery Series on My Shelves
Otto Scholderer, "Reading Maiden"
1. Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit – Inspector Felse #1
2. Tana French, The Secret Place – Dublin Murder Squad #5
3. Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud – Lady Fan #1
4. Ellis Peters, Death and the Joyful Woman – Inspector Felse #2
5. Elizabeth Bailey, The Deathly Portent – Lady Fan #2
6. L.C. Tyler, The Herring-Seller’s Apprentice – Herring #1
7. Delano Ames, Corpse Diplomatique – Jane & Dagobert Brown #3
8. Tana French, The Trespasser – Dublin Murder Squad #6
9. James Anderson, The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy – Inspector Wilkins #1
10.
11.
12.
13.
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16.
17.
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19.
20.
Possibilities:
James Anderson, The Affair of the Mutilated Mink – Inspector Wilkins #2
James Anderson, The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks – Inspector Wilkins #3
C.S. Harris, What Angels Fear – Sebastian St. Cyr #1
C.S. Harris, When Gods Die – Sebastian St. Cyr #2
C.S. Harris, Why Mermaids Sing – Sebastian St. Cyr #3
Ellie Marney, Every Breath – Every #1
Ellie Marney, Every Word – Every #2
L.C. Tyler, Ten Little Herrings – Herring #2
Patricia Wynn, The Motive from the Deed – Blue Satan #3
Patricia Wynn, A Killing Frost – Blue Satan #4
Patricia Wynn, Acts of Faith – Blue Satan #5
Otto Scholderer, "Reading Maiden"
1. Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit – Inspector Felse #1
2. Tana French, The Secret Place – Dublin Murder Squad #5
3. Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud – Lady Fan #1
4. Ellis Peters, Death and the Joyful Woman – Inspector Felse #2
5. Elizabeth Bailey, The Deathly Portent – Lady Fan #2
6. L.C. Tyler, The Herring-Seller’s Apprentice – Herring #1
7. Delano Ames, Corpse Diplomatique – Jane & Dagobert Brown #3
8. Tana French, The Trespasser – Dublin Murder Squad #6
9. James Anderson, The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy – Inspector Wilkins #1
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Possibilities:
James Anderson, The Affair of the Mutilated Mink – Inspector Wilkins #2
James Anderson, The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks – Inspector Wilkins #3
C.S. Harris, What Angels Fear – Sebastian St. Cyr #1
C.S. Harris, When Gods Die – Sebastian St. Cyr #2
C.S. Harris, Why Mermaids Sing – Sebastian St. Cyr #3
Ellie Marney, Every Breath – Every #1
Ellie Marney, Every Word – Every #2
L.C. Tyler, Ten Little Herrings – Herring #2
Patricia Wynn, The Motive from the Deed – Blue Satan #3
Patricia Wynn, A Killing Frost – Blue Satan #4
Patricia Wynn, Acts of Faith – Blue Satan #5
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2. Owned but Unread Before 1/1/26
Henri Matisse, "Reading Woman with Parasol"
1. Anna Harrington, If the Duke Demands (2025-11-24)
2. Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders (2021-10-03)
3. Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil (2018-04-06)
4. Cecilia Grant, A Gentleman Undone (2024-01-06)
5. Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring (2023-06-19)
6. Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance (2024-04-21)
7. Mary Jo Putney, The Rake (2024-08-17)
8. Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding, Emma of 83rd Street (2024-10-19)
9. Poul Anderson, Three Hearts and Three Lions (2014-10-12)
10. Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files (2022-11-05)
11. Diane Farr, Under a Lucky Star (2025-11-24)
12. Alden Nowlan: Selected Poems (2016-06-24)
13. Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness (2024-08-17)
14. Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity (2022-02-08)
15. Anne Gracie, Bride by Mistake (2024-10-04)
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Henri Matisse, "Reading Woman with Parasol"
1. Anna Harrington, If the Duke Demands (2025-11-24)
2. Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders (2021-10-03)
3. Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil (2018-04-06)
4. Cecilia Grant, A Gentleman Undone (2024-01-06)
5. Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring (2023-06-19)
6. Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance (2024-04-21)
7. Mary Jo Putney, The Rake (2024-08-17)
8. Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding, Emma of 83rd Street (2024-10-19)
9. Poul Anderson, Three Hearts and Three Lions (2014-10-12)
10. Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files (2022-11-05)
11. Diane Farr, Under a Lucky Star (2025-11-24)
12. Alden Nowlan: Selected Poems (2016-06-24)
13. Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness (2024-08-17)
14. Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity (2022-02-08)
15. Anne Gracie, Bride by Mistake (2024-10-04)
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
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3. Rereads
Anna Ancher, "Interior with Poppies and Reading Woman"
1. Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew
2. Agatha Christie, Death in the Clouds
3. Georgette Heyer, Regency Buck
4. Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline
5. Robin McKinley, Spindle's End
6. Eva Ibbotson, The Morning Gift
7. D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
8. Julie James, Something About You
9. Mary Balogh, The Famous Heroine
10. Connie Willis, Bellwether
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18.
19.
20.
Anna Ancher, "Interior with Poppies and Reading Woman"
1. Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew
2. Agatha Christie, Death in the Clouds
3. Georgette Heyer, Regency Buck
4. Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline
5. Robin McKinley, Spindle's End
6. Eva Ibbotson, The Morning Gift
7. D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
8. Julie James, Something About You
9. Mary Balogh, The Famous Heroine
10. Connie Willis, Bellwether
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
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4. Acquired in 2026
Vincent van Gogh, "The Novel Reader"
1. Mary Balogh, Remember That Day
2. Sarah Adams, In Your Dreams
3. Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance
4. Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
5. Virginia Evans, The Correspondent
6. Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief
7. Charlotte Stein, While You Were Seething
8. Beth O'Leary, The Name Game
9. Kate Clayborn, The Paris Match
10. Lynn Painter, First and Forever
11. Katherine Center, The Shippers
12. Amy Barry, Seven Brides for Beau McBride
13. Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Vincent van Gogh, "The Novel Reader"
1. Mary Balogh, Remember That Day
2. Sarah Adams, In Your Dreams
3. Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance
4. Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
5. Virginia Evans, The Correspondent
6. Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief
7. Charlotte Stein, While You Were Seething
8. Beth O'Leary, The Name Game
9. Kate Clayborn, The Paris Match
10. Lynn Painter, First and Forever
11. Katherine Center, The Shippers
12. Amy Barry, Seven Brides for Beau McBride
13. Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
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5. Nook Books
Berthe Morisot, "Reading"
1. Joanna Shupe, A Daring Arrangement
2. Molly Clavering, Dear Hugo
3. Kate Pembrooke, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry
4. Celia Lake, Outcrossing
5. Catherine Bakewell, Flowerheart
6. Fiona Hill, The Trellised Lane
7. Lisa Kleypas, Love in the Afternoon
8. Gail Eastwood, An Unlikely Hero
9. Kate Spencer, In a New York Minute
10. Eloisa James, The Reluctant Countess
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14.
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16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Berthe Morisot, "Reading"
1. Joanna Shupe, A Daring Arrangement
2. Molly Clavering, Dear Hugo
3. Kate Pembrooke, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry
4. Celia Lake, Outcrossing
5. Catherine Bakewell, Flowerheart
6. Fiona Hill, The Trellised Lane
7. Lisa Kleypas, Love in the Afternoon
8. Gail Eastwood, An Unlikely Hero
9. Kate Spencer, In a New York Minute
10. Eloisa James, The Reluctant Countess
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6. Office Book Club/Overflow
Félix Henri Giacomotti, "Forbidden Literature"
1. V.S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River
2. Muriel Spark, The Girls of Slender Means
3. Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
4. Evelyn Waugh, Scoop
5. Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
6. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
7. H. Beam Piper, Little Fuzzy
8. Willa Cather, My Ántonia
9. C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet
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Félix Henri Giacomotti, "Forbidden Literature"
1. V.S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River
2. Muriel Spark, The Girls of Slender Means
3. Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
4. Evelyn Waugh, Scoop
5. Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
6. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
7. H. Beam Piper, Little Fuzzy
8. Willa Cather, My Ántonia
9. C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
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CATs and KITs
The CATs and KITs are so plentiful this year that I don't even want to try to follow them all! I've listed the ones I would like to follow, but I still probably won't get to all of them every month.
January
DecadeCAT (’50s): Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit; Molly Clavering, Dear Hugo
AlphaKIT (F, E): Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit; Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil; Tana French, The Secret Place
Colored CoverKIT (orange, found in garden): Anna Harrington, If the Duke Demands; Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders; Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew; Sarah Adams, In Your Dreams; Joanna Shupe, A Daring Arrangement; Molly Clavering, Dear Hugo
MysteryKIT (female detectives): Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders
RandomKIT (can you keep a secret?): Tana French, The Secret Place
SFFKIT (adapted for film/TV): Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil
February
DecadeCAT (’10s): Kate Pembrooke, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry
AlphaKIT (O, B): Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring; Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance; Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance; Celia Lake, Outcrossing; Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud; Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
Colored CoverKIT (blue, clothing): Kate Pembrooke, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry; Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance; Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance; Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud; Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
MysteryKIT (clerical sleuths): Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance
RandomKIT (hospitals): Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance
SFFKIT (romantic): Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring; Celia Lake, Outcrossing; Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
March
DecadeCAT (’80s): Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Mary Jo Putney, The Rake
AlphaKIT (V, R): Mary Jo Putney, The Rake; Virginia Evans, The Correspondent; Georgette Heyer, Regency Buck
Colored CoverKIT (green, greenery): Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding, Emma of 83rd Street
MysteryKIT (Nordic):
RandomKIT (what's in a name?): Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding, Emma of 83rd Street
SFFKIT (pre-1975): Poul Anderson, Three Hearts and Three Lions
April
DecadeCAT (’00s): Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files; Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline; Diane Farr, Under a Lucky Star
AlphaKIT (P, J): Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline; Ellis Peters, Death and the Joyful Woman; Elizabeth Bailey, The Deathly Portent; Alden Nowlan: Selected Poems
Colored CoverKIT (yellow, celestial object): Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline; Diane Farr, Under a Lucky Star
MysteryKIT (private eyes): Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files
RandomKIT (from queens to knights): Robin McKinley, Spindle's End
SFFKIT (parallel worlds): Robin McKinley, Spindle's End
May
DecadeCAT (’30s):
AlphaKIT (W, A): Willa Cather, My Ántonia; Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness; L.C. Tyler, The Herring-Seller's Apprentice
Colored CoverKIT (turquoise, jewelry): Beth O'Leary, The Name Game; Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness
MysteryKIT (hardboiled/noir): Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness
RandomKIT (dance like no one is watching): Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness
SFFKIT (Western inspired):
June
DecadeCAT (choose your own = 1930s): Eva Ibbotson, The Morning Gift; C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet; D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
AlphaKIT (T, H): Tana French, The Trespasser; Gail Eastwood, An Unlikely Hero; Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters
*Colored CoverKIT (purple, food or drink): Delano Ames, Corpse Diplomatique; Lisa Kleypas, Love in the Afternoon
MysteryKIT (police procedurals): Tana French, The Trespasser
RandomKIT (numbers and symbols): Amy Barry, Seven Brides for Beau McBride
SFFKIT (religion in SFF): C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet
July
DecadeCAT (’70s): James Anderson, The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy
AlphaKIT (G, U): Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity; Anne Gracie, Bride by Mistake
Colored CoverKIT (pink, umbrella): Mary Balogh, The Famous Heroine
MysteryKIT (less than lawful):
RandomKIT (World War II): Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity
SFFKIT (humorous): Connie Willis, Bellwether
August
DecadeCAT (’60s):
AlphaKIT (C, Q):
Colored CoverKIT (brown, window or door):
MysteryKIT (Grand Master Award winner):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (favorite authors/books):
September
DecadeCAT (’40s):
AlphaKIT (M, Y):
Colored CoverKIT (brass, musical instrument):
MysteryKIT (major film/TV series):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (not a novel):
October
*DecadeCAT (’20s):
AlphaKIT (N, D):
Colored CoverKIT (black, Halloween costume):
MysteryKIT (favorite author):
RandomKIT:
*SFFKIT (fantastic beasts):
November
DecadeCAT (’90s):
AlphaKIT (K, I):
Colored CoverKIT (silver, fantastical creature):
MysteryKIT (guns for hire):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (cozy):
December
DecadeCAT (decade you were born = 1980s):
AlphaKIT (L, S):
Colored CoverKIT (red, related to winter):
MysteryKIT (reader’s choice):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (rebels and renegades):
Year-Long
AlphaKIT (X, Z): Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
*I'm hosting this CAT/KIT.
The CATs and KITs are so plentiful this year that I don't even want to try to follow them all! I've listed the ones I would like to follow, but I still probably won't get to all of them every month.
January
DecadeCAT (’50s): Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit; Molly Clavering, Dear Hugo
AlphaKIT (F, E): Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit; Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil; Tana French, The Secret Place
Colored CoverKIT (orange, found in garden): Anna Harrington, If the Duke Demands; Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders; Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew; Sarah Adams, In Your Dreams; Joanna Shupe, A Daring Arrangement; Molly Clavering, Dear Hugo
MysteryKIT (female detectives): Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders
RandomKIT (can you keep a secret?): Tana French, The Secret Place
SFFKIT (adapted for film/TV): Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil
February
DecadeCAT (’10s): Kate Pembrooke, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry
AlphaKIT (O, B): Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring; Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance; Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance; Celia Lake, Outcrossing; Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud; Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
Colored CoverKIT (blue, clothing): Kate Pembrooke, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry; Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance; Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance; Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud; Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
MysteryKIT (clerical sleuths): Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance
RandomKIT (hospitals): Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance
SFFKIT (romantic): Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring; Celia Lake, Outcrossing; Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen
March
DecadeCAT (’80s): Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Mary Jo Putney, The Rake
AlphaKIT (V, R): Mary Jo Putney, The Rake; Virginia Evans, The Correspondent; Georgette Heyer, Regency Buck
Colored CoverKIT (green, greenery): Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding, Emma of 83rd Street
RandomKIT (what's in a name?): Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding, Emma of 83rd Street
SFFKIT (pre-1975): Poul Anderson, Three Hearts and Three Lions
April
DecadeCAT (’00s): Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files; Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline; Diane Farr, Under a Lucky Star
AlphaKIT (P, J): Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline; Ellis Peters, Death and the Joyful Woman; Elizabeth Bailey, The Deathly Portent; Alden Nowlan: Selected Poems
Colored CoverKIT (yellow, celestial object): Patricia Cabot, Educating Caroline; Diane Farr, Under a Lucky Star
MysteryKIT (private eyes): Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files
RandomKIT (from queens to knights): Robin McKinley, Spindle's End
SFFKIT (parallel worlds): Robin McKinley, Spindle's End
May
AlphaKIT (W, A): Willa Cather, My Ántonia; Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness; L.C. Tyler, The Herring-Seller's Apprentice
Colored CoverKIT (turquoise, jewelry): Beth O'Leary, The Name Game; Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness
MysteryKIT (hardboiled/noir): Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness
RandomKIT (dance like no one is watching): Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness
June
DecadeCAT (choose your own = 1930s): Eva Ibbotson, The Morning Gift; C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet; D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
AlphaKIT (T, H): Tana French, The Trespasser; Gail Eastwood, An Unlikely Hero; Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters
*Colored CoverKIT (purple, food or drink): Delano Ames, Corpse Diplomatique; Lisa Kleypas, Love in the Afternoon
MysteryKIT (police procedurals): Tana French, The Trespasser
RandomKIT (numbers and symbols): Amy Barry, Seven Brides for Beau McBride
SFFKIT (religion in SFF): C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet
July
DecadeCAT (’70s): James Anderson, The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy
AlphaKIT (G, U): Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity; Anne Gracie, Bride by Mistake
Colored CoverKIT (pink, umbrella): Mary Balogh, The Famous Heroine
MysteryKIT (less than lawful):
RandomKIT (World War II): Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity
SFFKIT (humorous): Connie Willis, Bellwether
August
DecadeCAT (’60s):
AlphaKIT (C, Q):
Colored CoverKIT (brown, window or door):
MysteryKIT (Grand Master Award winner):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (favorite authors/books):
September
DecadeCAT (’40s):
AlphaKIT (M, Y):
Colored CoverKIT (brass, musical instrument):
MysteryKIT (major film/TV series):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (not a novel):
October
*DecadeCAT (’20s):
AlphaKIT (N, D):
Colored CoverKIT (black, Halloween costume):
MysteryKIT (favorite author):
RandomKIT:
*SFFKIT (fantastic beasts):
November
DecadeCAT (’90s):
AlphaKIT (K, I):
Colored CoverKIT (silver, fantastical creature):
MysteryKIT (guns for hire):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (cozy):
December
DecadeCAT (decade you were born = 1980s):
AlphaKIT (L, S):
Colored CoverKIT (red, related to winter):
MysteryKIT (reader’s choice):
RandomKIT:
SFFKIT (rebels and renegades):
Year-Long
AlphaKIT (X, Z): Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
*I'm hosting this CAT/KIT.
9christina_reads
1. Classic from another literary tradition:
2. Something living on the cover: Mary Balogh, Remember That Day (trees, grass, people)
3. Book of poetry: Alden Nowlan: Selected Poems
4. Set in state/province bordering your own: Sarah Adams, In Your Dreams (set in KY, which borders VA)
5. Published before you were born: Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit (1951)
6. Road trip book: Charlotte Stein, While You Were Seething
7. “End it”: Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael's Penance (last book in Cadfael series)
8. From an LT Legacy Library: Willa Cather, My Ántonia (Sylvia Plath, Carl Sandburg, and more)
9. Set entirely or in part at sea: Katherine Center, The Shippers (set mostly on cruise ship)
10. Fairy tale or myth retelling: Robin McKinley, Spindle's End (Sleeping Beauty)
11. Mode of transportation in title:
12. Beautiful cover: Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters
13. Read a CAT or KIT: Joanna Shupe, A Daring Arrangement (January ColoredCoverKIT = orange)
14. Great first sentence: Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil ("Sophie had waited all her life to be kidnapped.")
15. Features senior citizens: Virginia Evans, The Correspondent (protagonist is in her 70s)
16. New-to-you author: Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders
17. “Green” book: Tana French, The Secret Place (green on cover, set in Ireland)
18. Onomatopoeia in title: Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring ("ring")
19. Dead author: V.S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River (died in 2018)
20. Microhistory:
21. Female author’s debut novel: Kate Pembrooke, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry
22. Indigenous author:
23. Difficult to categorize:
24. Tree on the cover: Anna Harrington, If the Duke Demands
25. Award winner: Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (Hugo Award for Best Novel, 1967)
10christina_reads
FIRST HALF RECAP
I can’t believe we’re officially in the second half of 2026! I feel like my reading year has been a bit sluggish so far, though I did manage to catch up in June and get to 60 books read, exactly half of my yearly goal of 120. I’m also doing well with my Bingo, having checked off 20 squares, but the remaining five will be tough! I still have no idea what to read for “microhistory” or “classic from another literary tradition.” I’m happy that both my total and physical book acquisitions are continuing to trend downward, though frankly not by much. Still, I’ll take a win where I can get it! :)
Books read: 60 (2025 = 61, 2024 = 73, 2023 = 88, 2022 = 71, 2021 = 58, 2020 = 71, 2019 = 50, 2018 = 32)
Average books read per month: 10 (2025 = 10.17, 2024 = 12.17, 2023 = 14.67, 2022 = 11.83, 2021 = 9.67, 2020 = 11.83, 2019 = 8.33, 2018 = 5.33)
Bingo squares completed: 20 (2025 = 20, 2024 = 25, 2023 = 23, 2022 = 23, 2021 = 24, 2020 = 21, 2019 = 18, 2018 = 17)
Books acquired: 40 total/21 physical (2025 = 44 total/23 physical, 2024 = 61 total/40 physical, 2023 = 43 total/29 physical, 2022 = 52, 2021 = 43, 2020 = 29, 2019 = 43, 2018 = 39)
Top 10 books of the year so far:
In the order in which I read them…
I can’t believe we’re officially in the second half of 2026! I feel like my reading year has been a bit sluggish so far, though I did manage to catch up in June and get to 60 books read, exactly half of my yearly goal of 120. I’m also doing well with my Bingo, having checked off 20 squares, but the remaining five will be tough! I still have no idea what to read for “microhistory” or “classic from another literary tradition.” I’m happy that both my total and physical book acquisitions are continuing to trend downward, though frankly not by much. Still, I’ll take a win where I can get it! :)
Books read: 60 (2025 = 61, 2024 = 73, 2023 = 88, 2022 = 71, 2021 = 58, 2020 = 71, 2019 = 50, 2018 = 32)
Average books read per month: 10 (2025 = 10.17, 2024 = 12.17, 2023 = 14.67, 2022 = 11.83, 2021 = 9.67, 2020 = 11.83, 2019 = 8.33, 2018 = 5.33)
Bingo squares completed: 20 (2025 = 20, 2024 = 25, 2023 = 23, 2022 = 23, 2021 = 24, 2020 = 21, 2019 = 18, 2018 = 17)
Books acquired: 40 total/21 physical (2025 = 44 total/23 physical, 2024 = 61 total/40 physical, 2023 = 43 total/29 physical, 2022 = 52, 2021 = 43, 2020 = 29, 2019 = 43, 2018 = 39)
Top 10 books of the year so far:
In the order in which I read them…
- Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit – I love the Cadfael series and was delighted to discover that this first Inspector Felse novel has the same warmth and big-hearted worldview.
- Tana French, The Secret Place – I’m not sure this is the best Dublin Murder Squad book, but it might be my favorite because of Stephen Moran’s POV, his partnership with Antoinette Conway, and the setting at an exclusive girls’ school.
- Cecilia Grant, A Gentleman Undone – Grant’s historical romances are just extraordinary. I loved the main couple, both of whom are complex and flawed, and how they claw their way to a realistic happy ending.
- Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring – Bujold is always a pleasure, and this book (like many of her others) features strong world-building, an intelligent heroine with agency, and ordinary people doing heroic things because there’s no one else around to do them.
- Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael’s Penance – A fitting conclusion to a wonderful series, in which the mystery is almost secondary to Cadfael’s character development and spiritual journey.
- Mary Jo Putney, The Rake – A historical romance novel that refuses to romanticize rakishness. The hero starts as a charming rogue, but he has to grow and change to become worthy of the heroine. Also, love doesn’t magically solve all his problems!
- Virginia Evans, The Correspondent – A fascinating portrait of an ordinary life. I didn’t always like main character Sybil as much as I think I was supposed to, but she does at least grow. I literally did both laugh and cry while reading.
- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God – This book is beautifully written with a compelling protagonist, and it also paints a vivid picture of a Black community in the early 20th century. It deserves its status as an American classic.
- Gail Eastwood, An Unlikely Hero – This sweet traditional Regency isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it’s a solid example of the genre with likable main characters and a plot that feels realistic for the time period. I’m excited to try more by the author.
- Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters – I’ve loved every book by Arden I’ve read so far, but this one just may be my favorite. Give me medieval Brittany, fantasy elements, and a romance, and I’m sold!
11MissWatson
Happy new thread, Christina. The Katherine Arden book is something I’ll look out for later this year ... sounds fascinating.
12lsh63
Happy new thread Christina. You’ve done very well with your Bingo card, I need to pay more attention to mine.
13christina_reads
>11 MissWatson: I really loved it and hope you do too!
>12 lsh63: Thanks! I usually fill up many Bingo squares with books I own and/or was planning to read anyway. But there are always a few that are more challenging!
>12 lsh63: Thanks! I usually fill up many Bingo squares with books I own and/or was planning to read anyway. But there are always a few that are more challenging!
14lowelibrary
Happy New Thread
15christina_reads
>14 lowelibrary: Thanks for stopping by!
16christina_reads
Book #61: Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity
CATs: Alpha (G = Gilbert); Random (World War II)
Bingo: none
This mystery has the unique setting of an Italian prisoner-of-war camp. An unpopular prisoner is found dead in a tunnel that some of the POWs had been digging to escape. But was his death an accident or murder? And how did he get into the tunnel, whose entrance is disguised by a heavy slab that takes four men to lift? One of the British prisoners, Henry “Cuckoo” Goyles, is tasked with solving the case, but his investigation is complicated by a potential informer within the camp, as well as by the eventual necessity for a prison break. This is a fascinating variation on the “impossible crime” mystery, where the circle of suspects is limited to camp guards and prisoners. Gilbert himself was a POW who escaped from an Italian camp during World War II, and his experience undoubtedly informed many details of the novel. The murder mystery is interesting—and several aspects of the solution surprised me—but it’s secondary to the vivid, personal depiction of this specific time and place. Recommended, but more for those interested in WWII history than for mystery lovers.
17christina_reads
Book #62: Eloisa James, The Reluctant Countess
CATs: none
Bingo: none
Giles Renwick, the earl of Lilford, always does the proper thing. He needs an appropriate countess to uphold his social position, so it’s too bad that he’s continually lusting after Lady Yasmin Régnier, whose gowns and reputation are equally scandalous. Yasmin is attracted to Giles also, though she’s reluctant to admit it, as they seem to argue every time they’re together. Eventually they surrender to their mutual passion, but when Giles wants to marry Yasmin, she hesitates, unsure that they are truly well matched. I have really liked some works by Eloisa James, but this book was not one of them. I didn’t really believe in either of these characters or in the conflicts that kept them apart. Giles’s younger sister, who throws some obstacles in their way, also doesn’t seem to have a very clear or consistent motivation for her actions. I’ll try a few more of James’s books in hopes of finding one I really like, but this one was not it.
18christina_reads
Book #63: James Anderson, The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy
CATs: Decade (’70s = published in 1975)
Bingo: none
This historical mystery novel has all the trappings of a Golden Age detective story: a country house party, hidden identities, political machinations, a secret passage, a famous jewel thief, a staged car accident, and multiple suspicious deaths. Based on the title, I was expecting the book to be humorous, but it isn’t particularly, though occasionally a character will toss off a witty line. Overall I think this is a great read for Golden Age mystery lovers. All the tropes are present in abundance (sometimes superabundance), yet the book still manages to subvert reader expectations in interesting ways. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot because it’s more fun to experience it as it unfolds. Suffice it to say that I liked this one quite a bit and am looking forward to the other two books in the Inspector Wilkins series (I have an omnibus edition that contains all three). Apparently they’re all set at the same country house, so I’m interested to see which characters will recur!
19christina_reads
Book #64: Mary Balogh, The Famous Heroine
CATs: ColoredCover (umbrella = parasol on cover)
Bingo: none
The daughter of a wealthy merchant, Cora Downes would normally have no reason to mingle with London society’s upper crust. But when she (sort of) rescues from drowning a relative of the Duchess of Bridgwater, the duchess is so grateful that she decides to sponsor Cora for a Season and help her find a husband. The unconventional Cora is nervous and awkward in this new environment, so Lord Francis Kneller (a friend of the Bridgwater family) takes her under his wing. They soon become friends, but when Francis inadvertently “compromises” her, neither one expects the ensuing marriage to bring true love. This book was a reread for me, and I enjoyed revisiting these characters. Cora is a lovable klutz, and Francis is a kind hero with a sense of humor. Some aspects of the plot don’t quite work; for example, Cora’s mistaken assumption that Francis is gay, based on his colorful attire, persists for far too long. There are also plentiful references to the previous books in the series, Dark Angel and Lord Carew’s Bride, which I found slightly tiresome. But overall, I enjoyed my reread—Mary Balogh is reliably entertaining!
20christina_reads
Book #65: Connie Willis, Bellwether
CATs: SFF (humorous)
Bingo: none
Dr. Sandra Foster, a researcher at HiTek Corp., is studying the origin of fads, and it’s not going well. As she sorts through articles on hair bobbing and crossword puzzles and the Hula Hoop, she’s forced to deal with out-of-touch management, “sensitivity exercises,” and the world’s least competent assistant. As her world grows increasingly more illogical and frustrating, Sandra meets Dr. Bennett O’Reilly, a fellow HiTek scientist who seems strangely resistant to fads, if his terrible clothes are any indication. Could he somehow be the key to her research? I adore Connie Willis, especially her lighter and more comedic novels, of which this is one. It’s actually a bit stressful to read at times, because Sandra’s work frustrations are entirely too realistic! The satire of life in a corporate environment is spot-on, though, and I really liked the progression of the story and the romance. The book came out in 1996, so some aspects of it are dated now (no one researches anything on the computer), but overall I think it holds up quite well. Highly recommended if the premise interests you!
21beebeereads
>20 christina_reads: Interesting that I just heard a recommendation for this book today on a podcast I listen to. I think the universe is trying to get me to pick up this novel!
