What I’m Reading is a little peek into the books keeping me company lately—what I’m loving, what surprised me, and what’s waiting on my nightstand next. No formal reviews here, just thoughts from a 40-something rediscovering the joy of reading.
Hey friends,
I started reading again at the beginning of summer 2024, and I got completely hooked on A Court of Thorns and Roses—also known as the ACOTAR series—by Sarah J. Maas. It had been a long time since I’d picked up a book and truly read. I had also never read fantasy before. I kept seeing people talk about these books on social media and finally thought, why not?
Discovering Fantasy for the First Time
I grabbed the first book from our local library, and I immediately loved it. There was something so fun about the whole idea of fairies or High Fae—not the tiny ones from our beloved children’s movies—but a darker, more magical world filled with all kinds of creatures and beings. Now this series and a couple more are officially part of our library.
Sharing the Story With My Husband
I ended up reading the first few books pretty quickly, and as I tried to explain it all to my husband, he decided to read them too. It was so much fun having something new we could both talk about. He’s an avid reader as well, so sharing that experience together was really special.
Moving On to the Throne of Glass Series
After finishing ACOTAR, we decided to move on to her next series, Throne of Glass. My husband reads much faster than I do, which I’m totally fine with. I like to take my time and really absorb everything on the page. He started the first book, and I couldn’t wait to begin.
In my opinion, Throne of Glass was even better than ACOTAR. I absolutely loved the characters and the story, and I could tell right away that these were something special.
Why Reading Again Has Me So Happy
I’m so glad I decided to start reading again. The way books make you think and feel is just incredible. Over the rest of the year, I continued to read some really great books.
My Reading Goals (And Why They Matter to Me)
I had set a reading goal for 2025 of 24 books. I know for some people that’s nothing, but for me, it felt huge. Toward the end of the year, life got really busy and my reading slowed way down. I finished the year with 17 books—and honestly, that still felt like a big win.
I’ve decided to keep my goal for 2026 at 24 books. If I hit it, I’ll feel so accomplished. If I don’t that’s alright too. Life happens and gets busy and sometimes things just don’t go as planned. But if I read more? Even better.
Starting the Year with Harry Potter
I’m starting the year off with the Harry Potter series. I’m a huge Potter fan and have seen all the movies many times, but I’ve never actually read the books. I’m pretty sure those who have read them would say I’m not a true fan yet—so I’m fixing that. I’m reading the first book now and I’m reading it to my little every night before bed. A chapter a night seems to work best for us. I love having this special time at the end of the day. It’s a great memory!
Have you read any of the Harry Potter series? If you want to join me, let me know—we can chat about the books together.
Happy reading!
Take care, friends,
G~