Yes Please by Amy Poehler

I have been obsessed with Amy Poehler’s podcast, “Good Hang,” so I wanted to read her memoir.

finished January 4, 2026

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

After about 60 pages, I thought, “This book has summarized everything I’ve learned about writing in the last 20 years.” This is a great read for any writer.

finished January 4, 2026

Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America’s Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman

I stayed in the Parks and Rec world to read this book by Ron Swanson. We met Nick Offerman back in October at The Berry Center, and Wendell Berry is all over this book. Offerman signed this book, “Loui and Bailey, to good work.” Fitting for a couple who met at work!

finished January 10, 2026

In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams

I’ve enjoyed this romance series set in Kentucky, so I went to the author’s book event at Joseph-Beth. It was a good read.

finished January 11, 2026

Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham

This wasn’t my favorite romance. I wanted it to follow its own rules, and it felt too long.

finished January 13, 2026

Rainbow Rainbow by Lydia Conklin

Loui picked this off my shelf because, as he said, “This looks fun.” It’s a great short story collection.

finished January 16, 2026

The Stationery Shop by Marian Kamali

My friend Shayla brought this book to Bailey’s Third Annual Book Swap. It’s a beautiful and poignant love story set across Iran and America.

finished January 18, 2026

Heart the Lover by Lily King

This was a perfect and emotional reading experience. I loved this book so much.

finished January 19, 2026

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

So I immediately had to start rereading Writers & Lovers, which is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s still perfect.

finished January 20, 2026

Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution by Molly Beer

Yes, I’m still in my Hamilton phase.

finished January 22, 2026

Puppy Love in Thunder Canyon by Christyne Butler

Loui is a member and currently the board president of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education. Each year at the conference, someone enters some smut into the silent auction. This year, finally, Loui snagged it for me. This romance was a bit simplistic for my taste.

finished January 23, 2026

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

This is the book that Loui got from Bailey’s Third Annual Book Swap, which means it was my second book. We watched all the Knives Out movies, so I wanted to stay in the mystery genre. This was, unsurprisingly, excellent. It was so tense that, after reading for a while, I kept the lamp on until Loui came to bed.

finished January 25, 2026

Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham

I love Lorelai Gilmore.

finished January 26, 2026

Joyride by Susan Orlean

I first checked this out from the library but, after reading a few pages, I knew I would need my own copy. This was a wonderful memoir about writing.

finished January 27, 2026

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

This was extraordinary. My grandmother gave it to me years ago, and I didn’t know I had a masterpiece on my shelf for so long.

finished January 31, 2026

My Husband Holds My Hand Because I May Drift Awag & Be Lost Forever in the Vortexof a Crowded Store by John Compton

I bought this book of poetry because its author was a persistent salesman at the Kentucky Book Festival. I loved a few poems in the collection, especially the one that includes the lines: “typewriters congregate / in the river. water / flows through the keys.”

finished January 31, 2026

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

Loui picked this trilogy for us — I had been wanting to reread it, and I thought he would like it, so I read the paper copies and he listened to it. It’s a great series.

finished February 1, 2026

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

I got less done on my book this week than I should have — it’s hard to do anything but read in the midst of a good fantasy series.

finished February 3, 2026

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

I greatly enjoyed the series again, but I did realize that I’m more interested in conflicts than actual war, with troop movements and such.

finished February 5, 2026

The Nature of Pain by Mandi Fugate Sheffel

I met Mandi a few times last year at literary events. This is her very moving memoir about the opioid crisis in Eastern Kentucky.

finished February 7, 2026

Lucky Wreck by Ada Limón

This was the book I read on my second anniversary, which I bought from the bookstore where we got married on our first anniversary. There were, of course, amazing poems in this collection, but it was interesting to read the early poems of one of my favorite poets.

finished February 10, 2026

Raising Her Voice: African-American Women Journalists Who Changed History by Rodger Streittmatter

This was a good anthology of 11 influential Black women journalists, including Alice Allison Dunnigan. I learned something new and exciting and crucial about Alice from this book, which was awesome.

finished February 11, 2026

Loved One by Aisha Muharrar

I know of Aisha from the Gilmore Guys podcast, and I was excited to read her debut novel. I don’t agree with one of her style choices related to commas, but I really loved this novel. It was tense and emotional, and the cover is gorgeous.

finished February 12, 2026

Take Me Home by Melanie Sweeney

I read this romance novel on a lazy Valentine’s Day. It was good!

finished February 14, 2026

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

I reread this favorite from last year, and Loui listened to it, too. I love it so much.

finished February 18, 2026

Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press by James McGrath Morris

I enjoyed learning more about Ethel Payne, contemporary of Alice Dunnigan.

finished February 18, 2026

A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera

This was a dramatic romance novel. I read much of it during my Galentine’s Book Crawl with my friends.

finished February 21, 2026

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

I’ve started this before and finally, finally read it. It’s quite different from the musical, but I thought it was excellent.

finished February 24, 2026

Wicked: The Grimmerie by David Cote

This I had read before: a book about the making of the musical. I want to see it again.

finished February 27, 2026

In My Place by Charlayne Hunter-Gault

I wish this memoir had covered more of her career as a journalist, but I did enjoy reading about this Black woman journalist and civil rights pioneer’s childhood and college years.

finished February 28, 2026

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

This book was sweet.

finished March 3, 2026

Style: Toward Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams

I found his tone a little tiring, but this is a smart book about style.

finished March 3, 2026

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Another reread of a favorite that Loui listened to. I was glad that he liked it.

finished March 6, 2026

A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

A new Veronica Speedwell novel! Yay!

finished March 12, 2026

Grammar for Journalists by E.L. Callihan

This is a very detailed reference book about grammar. It was fun to read and teach to my students.

finished March 13, 2026

Kinfolks by Gurney Norman

I’ve been meaning to reread Gurney’s books, and it was a good time to reread Kinfolks because I wanted to reference it in my book.

finished March 14, 2026

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

Since Lady Julia Grey made a cameo in the last Veronica Speedwell novel, I decided to read Deanna Raybourn’s first series of historical mysteries. I really enjoyed this one.

finished March 17, 2026

In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens by Alice Walker

I have long loved the titular essay and finally read this whole collection. It includes my favorite essay in the world, sometimes titled “In Search of Zora Neale Hurston” and sometimes “Looking for Zora.” This is an excellent collection.

finished March 18, 2026

Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn

I still enjoyed this one pretty well.

finished March 18, 2026

Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn

But in this one, the romance between Lady Julia and Brisbane really started to wear on me. I like Lady Julia almost as much as Veronica Speedwell, but Brisbane pales in comparison to Stoker.

finished March 19, 2026