Top Ten Tuesday – 17/2/26

I saw this post on Portobello Book Blog and thought I might join in too, when I can anyway so maybe not every week but we will see.

Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want. Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post. Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists. Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

This week’s Top Ten topic was books for armchair travellers

I thought at first I’d go with fiction books, but when I started browsing my book shelves, I found some great places to armchair travel to with my nonfiction reads. I’ve read 6 of these and will get to the other 4 at some point.

First up is Wild by Cheryl Strayed where we walk 1100 miles (approx 1700 km, I had to look it up because miles means nothing to me) of the west coast of America.

Then we have Princess by Jean P. Sasson, I read this back in 1995 and it had a big impact on me. In Princess we get a glimpse of what life is like for the women and girls in Saudi Arabia.

My Penguin Year by Lindsay McCrae where we get to spend a season in Antarctica with the emperor penguins.

In Holy Cow by Sarah McDonald we travel through India, a place I have been to in real life.

In Tracks by Robyn Davidson, we trek 2700 km (1700 miles) across Australia , from the centre near Alive Springs to the west coast through the desert with 4 camels, and a dog.

In Is That Thing a Diesel? By Paul Carter we ride around Australia on an underpowered experimental motorcycle that runs on used cooking oil, I enjoyed the journey.

Tanya Heaslip (Alice to Prague) takes us from Alice Springs to the Czech Republic in search for identity, belonging and love.

Ubuntu: One Woman’s Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa by Heather Ellis was a confronting trip and while I want to visit East Africa at some point (COVID ruined my original plans), I certainly won’t be doing it the way Heather did.

And finally a book I read about 25 years ago that made me want to travel to Asia, A Fortune Teller Told Me by Tiziano Terzani takes us on a journey travelling by any means but flying through 11 countries. I’ve only been to 4 of these, but maybe one day I’ll get to the others.Oo

Oops, and finally a Lonely Planet book, Tales From Nowhere: Unexpected Stories From Unexpected Places edited by Don George which takes us to 39 places all over the world.

So many many places to visit in this big world of ours, where would you go first from these?

My next trip will hopefully be next year when I travel from Perth 3100 km (1900 miles) north to The Kimberley region to see the Bungle Bungles.

Until next time, happy reading.

It’s Monday! What are you reading? – 9/2/26

First seen over on Book’d Out, I’m going to try to do this post regularly, linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

I’m still going strong with my book-buying ban, it’s been 3.5 months and I’ve saved over $100 to spend at Wild Out West in May. I have been very tempted to buy a couple of books that were on special on Kindle, but I stayed strong. I do need to stop borrowing books from the library if I’m ever going to read the books on my shelf.

The last fortnight has been sad and stressful, but things are turning the corner.

Last fortnight I read/listened to

Holiday Disaster by Rye Cox (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐

Heart by Jesse H Reign (audiobook) I didn’t enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed reading it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Only One Coffin by A.J Truman (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐✨

Librarians of Rue De Picardie by Janet ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Daughters of Batavia by Stefanie Koens (audiobook/reading) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Woman’s Voice by Alli Sinclair (audiobook/reading) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (audiobook/reading) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

This week I’m reading/listening to

Lavender Hill by Alissa Callen (ARC)

An Onslaught of Light by Natasha Rai

Jingle Bells and Tentacle Spells by Chloe Archer

The Promise of Together by Jay Hogan (ARC)

The Tribulations of Ross Young Supernat PA by A.J Sherwood (audiobook)

Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers (audiobook)

I’m also reading, slowly, Fibre Fueled by Will Bulsiewicz for my second nonfiction reader challenge book

Have you read any of these? What have you read you’d recommend to me? I’d love to hear in the comments.

Until next time, happy reading.

#6Degrees of Separation – February 2026

This is a monthly link-up hosted by KateW at Books Are My Favourite and Best. Each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the other books on the list, only to the one next to it in the chain. The rules are:

Link the books together in any way you like.
Provide a link in your post to the meme at Books Are My Favourite and Best.
Share these rules in your post.
Paste the link to your post in the comments on Kate’s post and/or the Linky Tool on that post.
Invite your blog readers to join in and paste their links in the comments and/or the Linky Tool.
Share your post on Twitter using the #6Degrees hashtag.
Be nice! Visit and comment on other posts and/or retweet other #6Degrees posts

This month’s starting book is Flashlight by Susan Choi – A novel tracing a father’s disappearance across time, nations, and memory, from the author of Trust Exercise.

One summer night, Louisa and her father take a walk on the breakwater. Her father is carrying a flashlight. He cannot swim. Later, Louisa is found on the beach, soaked to the skin, barely alive. Her father is gone. She is ten years old.

Louisa is an only child of parents who have severed themselves from the past. Her father, Serk, is Korean, but was born and raised in Japan; he lost touch with his family when they bought into the promises of postwar Pyongyang and relocated to North Korea. Her American mother, Anne, is estranged from her Midwestern family after a reckless adventure in her youth. And then there is Tobias, Anne’s illegitimate son, whose reappearance in their lives will have astonishing consequences.

My first link is Law of the Heart by Boris Starling, which is set in Pyongyang, North Korea. This was a 5 ⭐ read for me and my pick for my old bookclub in 2024. In this, the main character is building a rollercoaster for a amusement park that the government wants to open.

Their love is against the laws of a merciless state—but the heart has its own power.

For rollercoaster designer Theo, living on the edge is just part of the job. He’s used to wandering the world perfecting thrills, his heart immune to commitment. But then a commission in repressive North Korea exposes him to emotions he’s never dared to feel.

Tour guide Min has a soul that wants to soar, but she knows it’s safer to build walls around her heart and mind. Skilled in showcasing the mesmerising beauty of capital city Pyongyang without revealing its darker secrets, she introduces Theo to a country he will never forget—and begins to question her policy of quiet compliance.

My second link is connected to the topic of an amusement park, Wonderland by Rachel Ember (my review)

I left Vermont on the most painful day of my life and swore I’d never go back. Meadows Park–the shuttered amusement park that’s been in my family for generations–is the home of all my finest and worst memories. They all star Peter Landry–the best friend I ever had, and the only guy I’ve ever loved.

But then my eccentric grandfather buried two million dollars on the property and couldn’t remember where.

My next book is linked by the word wonderland, Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express by Rebecca Raisin

A honeymoon for one on the most romantic train journey in the world… what could possibly go wrong?

When Aubrey’s fiancé dumps her – literally at the altar – just days before Christmas, her first thought is for the honeymoon. A luxury snow train, winding through Europe’s most beautiful Christmas markets, stopping in places like Paris and Stockholm, before ending in Lapland, to stay in igloos under the Northern Lights.

My next book is linked by the word Express, Midwife on the Orient Express by Fiona McArthur

Transport yourself into the glamorous night and through the next thirty-six hours as emotion, an unexpected medical drama and grandmotherly interference help this midwife and doctor find their miracle for Christmas.

Next up and linked by the theme of midwife is The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth

Tells the story of three generations of women devoted to delivering new life into the world—and the secrets they keep that threaten to change their own lives forever.

And the final link is the word Secrets in the title, Secrets of SilverGum by Mandy Magro

A compelling rural romance about love and the cost of keeping secrets. Can dark family secrets ever truly be buried?

I’ve managed to travel the world in this chain. I’ve requested the audiobook and the physical book from the library of Flashlight. I’m 3rd in line for the book, and I should get the eaudiobook sometime in May.

I’m looking forward to seeing how others linked their books.

Next month (March 7, 2026), we’ll start with a classic (and in celebration of the forthcoming film) – Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. I read this many years ago, I’ll see if I can make time to reread it and see what I think of it now.

Until next time, happy reading.

It’s Monday! What are you reading? – 26/1/26

First seen over on Book’d Out, I’m going to try to do this post regularly, linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

Last week, I posted about the reading challenges I’m hoping to complete this year; see here for details.

I had a good reading week last week, I finished all the books/audiobooks I was reading when I posted last week, plus an extra audiobook.

The Mobster’s Mate by Kiki Clark (Audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐💫

Xerxes Ascendant (House Epsilon Duology #2) by Adelaide Blaike ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

In Spite of You by Patrick Lenton ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Free the Bears by Mary Hutton with Julie Miller (nonfiction) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This week I’m reading/listening to

Heart by Jesse H Reign (Audiobook) – I read this a few weeks ago and loved it⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ , and had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. The narrator is usually one I enjoy, but I’m not feeling it with this book. Maybe if I hadn’t read it, it might be different. I will continue with it, though.

The Holiday Disaster by Rye Cox (Audiobook) – I’m not feeling this one at all, luckily its only a short one.

Jingle Bells & Tentacle Spells by Chloe Archer – a light fun read

Lavender Hill (A Windamere Novel #1)by Alissa Callen (ARC) – I always enjoy this author’s books

The Librarians of Rue De Picardie by Janet Skeslien Charles – I’m reading this for another new bookclub I’m trying out next weekend.

I already have several books and audiobooks lined up for next week, so hopefully I can get these finished.

Did you read anything good last week? Are you reading anything good this week? I’d love to hear in the comments.

Until next week, happy reading.

2026 Reading Challenges

Wow, where has January gone? I realised I haven’t posted my challenges for the year. I’m only doing a few this year, most are on StoryGraph, the normal Goodreads Challenge and 2 hosted by Book’d Out.

I set my reading goal on Goodreads and StoryGraph at 150 books, I know I’ll go past this, but just in case…

On StoryGraph I’m also doing

Queer your year 2026, which has 16 prompts to try to complete.

Bookish.kir is running a 52 Prompt Challenge which I’m already enjoying I have already completed 5 prompts.

The StoryGraph’s Genre Challenge, which has 10 genres to try to read this year. I have completed one of these so far.

The StoryGraph reads the world, which has 10 countries to try to read books from or about.

The next two are hosted by Book’d Out

The Nonfiction Reader Challenge – I’m going to do the Nonfiction Nipper Challenge which is reading 3 books from any 3 categories. There are severasl levels, so if reading nonfiction or increasing your reading in nonfiction is a goal, be sure to check it out.

The other is the 2026 Speccy Fiction Challenge – I’m going to try for Survey: Read & review 12 books, one for each category, because I have been reading more speculative fiction lately. I think this will be my easiest challenge.

I could keep adding challenges, but I can’t keep track of them, so at the moment I’ll leave it at this.

What challenges are you aiming for?

Until next time, happy reading

It’s Monday! What are you reading? – 19/1/26

First seen over on Book’d Out, I’m going to try to do this post regularly, linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

I’m still going strong with my book-buying ban. I have been very tempted to buy a couple of books that were on special on Kindle, but I stayed strong. I need to stop borrowing books from the library if I’m ever going to read the books on my shelf.

I finished my latest masterpiece, which is a picture of my furbaby, and it came up really well. It’s currently at the framers because I really loved this one.

I didn’t post last week; I was just too tired to get my laptop out. I’m feeling much the same today, but am making an effort. I’ll post photos of the previous fortnight’s reads too. I posted one review, I’m disappointed it wasn’t more, but one is better than none.

The Question of Us (Fisher & Church #2) by Jay Hogan

This Peanuts comic came up in my memories on FB, and I thought I’d share it here.

So, onto what I’ve been reading

I read

Xerxes Descendant (House Epsilon Duology #1) by Adeliade Blaike ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My review

Pilbara by Judy Nunn ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 I am trying out a new bookclub tonight, and this was the book they were reading. I already owned it, so it made me actually read it, not put it on the shelf to look pretty. I’ll let you know how the new bookclub is next week.

I listened to

Chosen Family by Madeleine Gray ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a good read, but not AS good as I was hoping for. I still enjoyed it and will keep my eye out for more by this author.

The next two I’ve read before but recently bought all the audiobooks, these were books 4 & 5 in the Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees series but I know there are more books coming in the series at some point.

The Trouble With Trying to Hook a Harbinger by Jennnifer Cody ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 my review

The Trouble With Trying to Bag a Blood Witch by Jennifer Cody ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My review

This week I am reading/Listening to

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (audiobook) – currently at 51%

Xerxes Ascendant (House Epsilon Duology #2) by Adelaide Blaike – currently at 74%

In Spite of You by Patrick Lenton – currently at 64%

Free the Bears by Mary Hutton with Julie Miller (nonfiction) – currently at 23%. I’m reading this for the Nonfiction Reader Challenge hosted by Book’d Out. I hope to have my post up about this challenge sometime this week.

I have no idea what I willl read next, maybe the bookclub book for the other bookclub I’m going to check out on the 1st February, we will see.

*Editing to say I will be reading Lavender Hill by Alissa Callen next as it’s out on the 28th January.

What have you been reading? What are you currently reading? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, happy reading.

Audiobook Review: The Question of Us by Jay Hogan

The Question of Us (Fisher & Church #2) by Jay Hogan

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

It was great to reconnect with Nick and Mads again and see what had been happening since their ordeal in The Meaning of You.

I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop further throughout this book. It is nice to see older MCs in stories who have baggage and lived experiences that affect their reactions and their relationships. These guys do a reasonable job of communication, but it could be better. I think they’ll work on that, especially after their latest troubles.

They land themselves and Gary in even more danger in their determination to save a young man they came across in book 1, who might be in trouble. There is so much going on, and I was as horrified as they were as they uncovered what was going on, putting their lives in danger because the bad guys were powerful and rich in their corrupt world. Some of their decisions (most of their choices) went way against a normal person’s better judgment and could have ended in complete disaster.

I really can’t wait to see what happens in the final book, The Promise of Forever.

The narrator, Gary Furlong, does another great job bringing the men and the story to life.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase directly from the author

About the book

The nightmare is over. Or so I keep telling myself. Bruised and battered, we’d narrowly escaped with our lives. I should be grateful. Grateful that my captors are in custody. Grateful that the chilling, roller-coaster of events, actually brought Nick and me closer. Grateful that we’ve finally taken a step toward something more than friendship. And I am, grateful.

But life isn’t simple.

Relationships need work.

And peace of mind is elusive in the face of unbearable guilt.

Because I’m the one who unraveled the puzzle. The one responsible for sending a young man back to a life he thought he’d escaped forever. Until I know he’s safe; until I’ve done everything I can to fix what happened, there will be no pretending I’ve done my bit. No leaving it up to the authorities. I can’t forget and move on. Not in my job. Not in my life. And certainly not in my fledgling romance with Nick Fisher who stormed into my heart with a truckload of his own issues.

The fate of a young man isn’t the only thing at stake. The quest for truth will push us to our limits. And the biggest question of all—do Nick and I have what it takes to survive the answers.

Author’s This story features discussion of the death of a spouse who is not a main character and references to domestic and sexual abuse. ‘The Question of Us’ is the second audiobook in a romantic suspense series following the same couple. There are no relationship cliffhangers.

It’s Monday! What are you reading? – 5/1/26

First seen over on Book’d Out, I’m going to try to do this post regularly, linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

I’m still going strong with my book-buying ban, but I am realising I will need to cancel KU at some point if I plan to make a dent in the books I already own. I did pick up a few free books last week, possibly a few more than a few, but since I didn’t pay for them, that’s ok.

Last week I was super tired so I listened to more than I read for most of the week, only catching up over the weekend.

The Shadows Beyond by TJ Rose (Audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Trouble With Trying to Love a Hellion by Jennifer Cody (Audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review

Heart by Jesse H Reign (ARC) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ RTC

The Ex in Xmas by Robin Knight ⭐⭐⭐⭐ more quirky fun in Mulligan’s Mill

Holiday Pines by Timothy Warren ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ I won a copy of this over Christmas break and absolutely enjoyed it.

This week I’m reading/listening to

Chosen Family by Madeleine Gray (Audiobook) I started two audiobooks last week that I just wasn’t getting on with, I gave them both around 2.5 hours of listening time each but ultimately sent them back to Borrowbox. This one finally arrived on Borrowbox this morning and I’m enjoying it so far.

Emerald Earth by Adam J Ridley, I’ve read this before but I haven’t read book 4 and felt I needed to reread the other three before I started on it.

Pilbara by Judy Nunn, I bought this for myself last year because I was going to see the author speak. Now I’m thinking of joining a new localish bookclub and this is their read for the 19th Jan.

How to Reap a Soul (and fail miserably) by April Kelley (ARC)

Tenderfoot by Toni Jordan, I started this last week but I haven’t read much further because I was just too tired and now Pilbara is taking more of my attention because it had a read by date.

Have you read any of these? Did you read anything good last week? Are you reading anything good this week? I’d love to hear in the comments.

Until next time, happy reading.

#6Degrees of Separation – January 2026

Link the books together in any way you like.
Provide a link in your post to the meme at Books Are My Favourite and Best.
Share these rules in your post.
Paste the link to your post in the comments on Kate’s post and/or the Linky Tool on that post.
Invite your blog readers to join in and paste their links in the comments and/or the Linky Tool.
Share your post on Twitter using the #6Degrees hashtag.
Be nice! Visit and comment on other posts and/or retweet other #6Degrees posts

This month’s starting book is the last link oin our December #6Degrees post. I didn’t end up publishing Decembers post, but I had worked out the books for it and the last books would have been The Seachangers by Meredith Appleyard.

This is about Ruth, who moved from the city to the seaside country town of Cutlers Bay and opened a cafe and Hamish, who comes to Cutlers Bay when his father dies to settle the affairs and renovate the house to sell. This one is still on my reading pile.

The Vet from Snowy River by Stella Quinn is about Vera, who moves to a country town in the Snowy Mountains to open a cafe. This one is also still on my to read pile.

The Kookaburra Creek Cafe by Sandie Docker is about 3 different women who have arrived in the small town of Kookaburra Creek for one reason or another. Hattie is the first to arrive and opens a cafe. This is another one that has been on my reading pile for too long.

The Cafe by the Bridge by Lily Malone also features someone who moves home to the country town of Challk Hill to renovate his Nana’s house and open a cafe. I read this in 2019 and loved it, see my review.

Home to the Heart Country by Libby Iriks is about Beth, who moves to a small country town in WA after getting an unexpected inheritance. She has to live in the town for 12 months before she can sell the house, so in the meantime starts renovating it with the help of a local. I loved this book that I read late last year, see my review.

Another unexpected inherritance in found in the Misty Mountains of Far North Queensland in Second Chance Family by Barbara Hannay. This one is complicated because the inheritance is shared by 2 people who have lives elsewhere but can”t sell for 12 months. This is also on my reading pile.

And finally, Home Sweet Home by Mandy Magro (I had to sit on the floor and go through my books to find this final link. Zara receives and unexpected inheritance in Far North Queensland. Yet another book languishing on my bookshelves unread.

So, we have people moving to country towns all over Australia to open cafes, claim inheritances and do renovations. Sounds like an ideal life.

Next month (February 7, 2026), we are starting with a book that has apparently topped lots of 2025 ‘best of’ lists – Flashlight by Susan Choi. I personally have never heard of it.

Until next time, happy reading

My Top Reads of 2025 and reading checkin

2025 saw me reading and listening to 273 books, 105 of which were audiobooks, which I think has to be the most I’ve ever listened to. I’m finding plenty of time to listen with my 9 hours of commuting for work each week and then walking the dog time, and any other time that I’m not physically reading can usually find me listening to a book.

I always try to read plenty of Australian authors, and because I was part of the Australian Women Writers blog before it changed its focus, I still keep track of the books I read by Australian women each year. This year, I read 76 books in that category.

If you’d like to check out all the books I read this year, here is the link

I had two standout books this year

My book of the year was my 260th book, The Names by Florence Knapp. I wish I could reread it for the first time.

My other standout read was A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle, this was so beautifully written and I wrote so many quotes down as I was reading, which isn’t something I would usually do.

Both of these books I would happily reread.

I read a lot of good books this year; you’d certainly hope so with the amount I read. I’ll drop a few favourites in the pic below. A very mixed bunch in terms of genre. Fantasy, scifi, Middle grade fiction, romance, MM romance, Rural romance, Young adult & contemporary fiction.

I’m hopng for another year of good reads this year.

As for any challenges I set myself to do, I did finish a couple but didn’t get around to entering them on the goodreads challenge pages, just kept track in my notebook. This year I’m not going to do the goodreads ones, it’s too time consuming for my energy levels.

I have a couple of challenges I will do, which I’ll write up a post for later, and I bought myself a reading journal. I’m hoping I can at least make some notes in there for review books and books I’ve loved so I can come back to them to write up when my brain is braining.

How did you go with your reading in 2025? Any book/s you think I absolutely must add to my TBR list?

Until next time, happy reading