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 Away & 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

Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn

I still wanted to finish out the series, even with my frustrations.

finished March 22, 2026

All the Gold Stars by Rainesford Stauffer

I finally read this book by my fellow Kentucky writer. It was a great read for this perfectionist.

finished March 25, 2026

The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn

finished March 28, 2026

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher

I reread this book before reading the newly published sequel.

finished April 9, 2026

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

I had to join the rest of the world and read this. I did enjoy it a lot.

finished April 10, 2026

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

I really loved this book!

finished April 10, 2026

Following Alice Dunnigan by Bailey Vandiver

It’s tradition: When I revise my book, I count it as a read.

finished April 12, 2026

March 1939 by Terry Frei

It took me a while to get into this book about the first NCAA men’s basketball tournament, but I enjoyed it once I got into it.

finished April 13, 2026

This Will Be Interesting by E.B. Asher

This was fun! I think I may have liked it more than the first.

finished April 16, 2026

Five Oaks by Julie Hensley

I loved this gorgeous novel by one of my MFA professors.

finished April 17, 2026

Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi

I reread this book ahead of the sequel being published.

finished April 17, 2026

Release Me by Tahereh Mafi

I loved this book as I always do, but I found the teenagers a little more irritating than I used to. I guess I’m getting old.

finished April 19, 2026

The Village Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner

The premise was a little scattered. But I did finish this via audiobook while driving, so it was good progress on my campaign to like audiobooks more.

finished April 23, 2026

American Bloodlines: Reckoning with Lynch Culture by Sonya Lea

This was a great, insightful book about a shameful and pervasive part of Kentucky’s (and the country’s) history.

finished April 25, 2026

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

I liked the premise of this book — witches who protect books— as soon as I read about it, plus the author is a Kentuckian. I liked the book even more than I expected to; the plot surprised me.

finished April 26, 2026

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I’ve Learned by Alan Alda

Last year I watched M*A*S*H for the first time and loved it, and I already loved Alan Alda as Arnold Vinick on The West Wing. This was a solid celebrity memoir.

finished April 30, 2026

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

I loved this novel about family and fruit and grief. I actually listened to it as an audiobook, read by Meryl Streep.

finished May 5, 2026

Writing Toward Justice: The Life and Reporting of Alice A. Dunnigan by Peggy Thomas, illustrated by Tonya Engel

As soon as I learned that this children’s book released earlier this year, I was anxious to read it. I kind of wish I wrote it, but it’s a wonderful book with gorgeous illustrations.

finished May 5, 2026

The Vice President’s Black Wife by Amrita Chakrabarti Myers

I bought this book several Kentucky Book Festivals ago and finally read it. It was about Julia Chinn, an enslaved woman who had a common law marriage with Richard Mentor Johnson, who went on to become vice president. It was super interesting, though I felt it was slightly repetitive — it read like a lengthy scholarly paper that had been extended to book length.

finished May 6, 2026

The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty

I loved this retelling of the Arthur and Guinevere myth. When I finished it and realized it was the first book of a trilogy, I was so excited for more but so sad that I have to wait a year.

finished May 9, 2026

Invisible Child by Angela Elliott

I reread this book of extraordinary journalism while we were at the beach, in anticipation of teaching from it in a future journalism class.

finished May 11, 2026

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

This was a great novel about multiple generations of a Native American family. It has a gorgeous cover, too.

finished May 17, 2026

Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About by Isabel Klee

I read this before gifting it to my sister. It’s a memoir about the author’s experience dating in New York City and fostering dogs. I did, indeed, cry multiple times.

finished May 17, 2026

How to Suppress Women’s Writing by Joanna Russ

This was a smart and sometimes depressing, sometimes uplifting book about women writers across time.

finished May 24, 2026

North Woods by Daniel Mason

This book is so weird and interesting and amazing. I’ll keep thinking about two sisters from the book.

finished May 25, 2026

The Year’s Best Sports Writing 2025, edited by Hanif Abdurraqib

I love sports stories!

finished May 27, 2026

Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez

This was a really compelling novel about magic during the Renaissance.

finished May 29, 2026

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos

I bought this book for a class in college, but we ended up not reading it. I finally read it in an afternoon at the pool. It’s so funny and smart.

finished May 30, 2026

Mother Tongue by Sara Nović

I loved her novel a few years ago, and I enjoyed this memoir about motherhood that included a lot about deaf culture.

finished May 31, 2026

The Shoes of a Fisherman’s Wife by upfromsumdirt

I’m not a good poetry reader, but there were some poems in here that really struck me with their beauty and wit. And there was really fun wordplay with homophones.

finished May 31, 2026

The Irish Goodbye by Beth Ann Fennelly

The micro-memoirs in this book were so poignant, or funny, or both.

finished June 1, 2026

An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole

I grew weary of this book. It felt like the details were a little scattered.

finished June 2, 2026

Sand-Catcher by Omar Khalifah, translated by Barbara Romaine

This book about the Nakba is so brilliant. I read it in one sitting at the pool.

finished June 2, 2026

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

I grabbed this from my mom’s nightstand and reread it while sitting by my parents’ pool. I wanted to read it again since watching the Netflix adaptation.

finished June 7, 2026

They Can’t Kill Us Till They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib

No one should be surprised that this collection of essays is exquisite.

finished June 9, 2026

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

This was a rather weird book, but I really liked the family dynamics.

finished June 12, 2026

They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery

This was a pretty well-reported book about early Black Lives Matter and related racial justice protests.

finished June 13, 2026

Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire by Don Martin

The premise of this Appalachian fantasy novel was so great, but I found the execution somewhat lacking.

finished June 15, 2026

The Black Fives: The Epic Story of Basketball’s Forgotten Era by Claude Johnson

I read this pretty slowly as it was sometimes hard to sink into, but it was a really excellent lesson about the early days of basketball, specifically among African American communities.

finished June 22, 2026

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

I loved this! I think Ashley Poston’s books get better every time.

finished June 22, 2026

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz

This was a very fun and reflective romance! I stayed up very late to finish it.

finished June 24, 2026

Ancient History Between Us by Kaitlyn Hill

Another wonderful romance by my friend and fellow Lexington writer Kaitlyn! It made me want to book a trip. And also watch Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

finished June 24, 2026

A Guardian and a Thief by Meghan Majumdar

This very efficiently written book was emotional and scary and excellent, about a family and community in the near future dealing with the aftermath of climate disasters.

finished June 25, 2026

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami

This was just a solid novel. It was very good and very sad, told from many different perspectives of people related to a fatal hit-and-run.

finished June 27, 2026