My Year in Books -- a Meme

I first did this one last year. As you can see it's very similar to this one.

My Year in Books

Rules?

• Answer the questions with titles from books you read in 2025. (Some may end up being silly, others may seem overly serious.)   
• The goal is to have fun. 
• Participate by copying the questions below. Erasing my answers and inserting you own.  
• Once you've created your post, link it below so others can see it, then visit others' posts to see how they answered the questions.
• Spread the word. Let's see if we can make this a thing again this year!

Questions:

In high school I was:  The Best of Enemies--Jen Lancaster

People might be surprised (by): Pieces of Happiness--Anne Ostby 

I will never be: Lady Nightmare--Rachel M. Yoldi

My fantasy job is: As Seen on TV--Sarah Mlynowski

At the end of a long day I need (to go to): The Beach House--Jane Green

I hate it (when I'm): The Only Woman in the Room--Eileen Pollack

Wish I had: The Bookshop on the Corner--Jenny Colgan

My family reunions are: Cursed--Karol Ruth Silverstein

At a party you’d find me (at the): Table for Five--Susan Wiggs

I’ve never been to: Ellis Island--Elizabeth Carney (this one is actually true!)

A happy day includes: Magic Candies--Heen Baek

Motto I live by: The Summer Pact--Emily Giffin

On my bucket list is (going to): The Beach House--Rachel Hanna

In my next life, I want to have: A Spark of Light--Jodi Picoult

Don't take your titles too seriously or judge the actual plot line of the book in your answers. Have fun with this.

Once again, it was hard just picking out one title for each prompt. There were so many to choose from. And it's all in fun, as it says in the rules. 

Also posting this to:

In 2025…My Life in Books

This prompt is being held at Book'd Out. The answers can be real or silly, and most of mine are in fact not true. It's all in fun.

Complete the prompts using titles from the books you have read in 2025 to complete the sentence to describe your life in the past year. 

2025 was the year of: The Blackbirds--Eric Jerome Dickey

In 2025 I wanted to be: Invisible Emmie--Terri Libenson

In 2025 I was: Cursed--Karl Ruth Silverstein

In 2025 I gained: Pieces of Happiness--Anne Ostby

In 2025 I lost: The Reading List--Sara Nisha Adams

In 2025 I loved: The Light We Carry--Michelle Obama

In 2025 I hated (being): The Only Woman in the Room--Eileen Pollack

In 2025 I learned: None of This is True--Lisa Jewell

In 2025 I was surprised by: Big Magic--Elizabeth Gilbert

In 2025 I went to: Summer Island--Kristin Hannah

In 2025 I missed out on: The Great Boy Chase--Janet Quin-Harkin

In 2025 my family were: Under the Same Stars--Libba Bray

In 2026 I hope (it will be): Happily Ever Afters--Melanie Cellier

It wasn't easy choosing just one for each. In a few cases, I changed my answers, as there seemed to be more than I though humorously fit each prompt. I never expect anything like this to be serious or true. 

What books would you pick for this? Are they true or just fun?

I'm also posting this to the Book Discussion Challenge.

26 Things About the Number 26--Part 2

Colleen at The Thursday 13 holds a weekly blogging prompt where bloggers make a list of 13 things on Thursdays. The topic is for you to choose. The blog host doesn't have any official graphics to display on the Thursday 13 posts, so I decided to whip one up myself. 🙂  

This week is Part 2 of "26 Things About the Number 26." I chose to do this as a two-parter since 13 is half of 26. Click to see last week's post.  

1. The 26th amendment or “Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote” amendment, passed on March 10, 1971, and was a huge change to youth responsibility and values, giving all those over 18 the right to vote.
2. At 26 years old, males can no longer be drafted into the United States.
3. In Windows Alt Codes, Alt + 26 produces the “right arrow” or → symbol.
4. An Australian Alternative Rock band exists called 26.
5. 26 was Frank Furillo’s badge number on Hill Street Blues.
6. Twenty-Six is a 2003 novel by Leo McKay, Jr.
7. The number 26 only appears once in the entire bible.
8. Click here to see athletes who wore the number 26.
9. 26 Men was a syndicated American Western television series about the Arizona Rangers, a law-enforcement group limited to 26 active members.
10. Its Roman numeral is XXVI.
11. The 26th Wedding anniversary symbol is opal.
12. Many TV shows have 26 episodes per season.
13. 26 is the only integer that is one greater than a square (5x5=25+1) and one less than a cube (3x3x3=27-1).

I'm sure there is much more trivia about the number 26 out there. Do a search to find more. It was a little hard just what facts to choose for this two-part post, as is always the case for Thursday 13.

Funny Stuff This Week

I just had to share some things from some of the blogs I follow. I also found some myself.

2026 Book Blog Discussion Challenge

Nicole at  Feed Your Fiction Addiction announced that she was stepping down from blogging. She co-hosted the Book Blog Discussion. I then wondered if the discussion challenge would still be happening. From it It Starts at Midnight, now the sole host:

Welcome to the 2026 Book Blog Discussion Challenge hosted by… just me. Yes, let us please take a moment to celebrate our favorite MG Fantasy author, and all her incredible successes that require her to take a step back from blogging, and like, go buy copies of her book, yeah? (Emotional moment time: this is really hard for me- Nicole and I have been doing this for a decade, guys. I am tearing up writing this post, in fact. But it’s a mix of happy and sad tears, because while I am sad for me, I am so very thrilled for her much deserved and well-earned success as an author!)

Anyway, I zhuzhed up the button, because starting our second decade felt like a change was due- plus without Nicole’s animal friends, I had no one to dress up every month- this will lighten my load by doing just one graphic per year!

The Levels:

1-10 – Discussion Dabbler
11-20 – Creative Conversationalist
21-30 – Chatty Kathy
31-40 – Terrifically Talkative
41+ – Gift of the Gab

Once again, I am aiming for the first level, then see how much farther I get. The new graphic will displayed on my posts.

Rainy New Year

How did the new year start off for you? In my area, it has been raining since around New Year's Eve. The rain would stop for a while each day, only to let up again after a while. 

We had a five day at work on New Year's Eve, and I got sleepy during the first half of the movie. We watched the Wonka prequel that came out in 2023, my second time seeing it. As someone who has taken to staying home on NYE, the rain that night did not bother me. 

Over the first days of the year, I have tried getting out when the rain has stopped, only on at least two of those days, to see the rain starting up again just as I am heading home.  The rain is expected to continue for at least another two days this week.

Having to stay inside has somewhat given me cabin fever. This also comes form being off two Fridays in a row, as well on Christmas Eve. I woke up last Friday, nearly forgetting it was Friday! 

The county library has been closed for the holidays, and is reopening today. I plan to go again once the rain stops. 

January Bookish Bingo

The new card for January is here.

My Books:

1. The Odious Duke--Barbara Cartland (3 squares): Physical Book, Shelf Love, Not in a Series
2. Snow White Learns Witchcraft--Theodora Goss (6 squares): E-book, Special Abilities, Gods/Demi-Gods, Vengeance, Deadly Trials, Free Space
3. Self-Sufficient Living--Andy Westley (3 squares): Audiobook, New Start/Staring Over, Exercise
4. The Indigo Girl--Natasha Boyd (3 squares): Book Club, Simple Book Cover Design, Siblings
5. Two Can Keep a Secret--Karen M. McManus (2 squares): Library Book, Secrets