I’ve been missing the blog a lot recently. Although I create online content in my day job and love it, there’s nothing like creating in a space that is wholly your own.
I used to dive into 9th Street as an outlet for both my Type A traits and my creativity, but one of those things has largely been satisfied from a slightly more corporate approach to creation (aka the day job). And boy does it tire me out.
Nowadays, when I do have free time to myself, it is mostly spent on hobbies that exercise a slightly different (and admittedly less engaged) part of my brain. Recently I’ve gotten back into sewing (I’m attempting to sew all my own clothes for the sake of sustainability — but can talk about that later) and embroidery. I am finding loose threads everywhere.
Another classic is of course drawing, which happens on my iPad using Procreate. Not much has changed there. I am still mediocre as ever.
And the less romantic side of me spends a lot of time on my Steam Deck. The duality of woman! I’ve been flitting from game to game a lot lately (nothing seems to entirely scratch the itch I’ve had, but I’m beginning to think my ideal game just doesn’t exist yet) but the main time sinks have been 7 Days to Die, Valheim, Traveller’s Rest, and most recently, Sun Haven. Not too original, but in interestingly enough this trajectory of genres seems to match my reading list pretty well. Grim to cozy.
Which brings me to the main reason for this post — what have I read recently? I’ve compiled a list below, but haven’t written down any thoughts to accompany them — this is just to record what has been the soundtrack to my hobbies recently.
This is the first time I’ve actually taken a look back at what I’ve been reading over the course of the year, and might not even be entirely accurate as I had to go back through my Libby history to write these titles down. (Not the most user-friendly experience.)
If I’m not mistaken, every single book I’ve read this year has been from the library. Not mentioned are the long list of DNF books — I have been very unforgiving with my drops in the past few months. Life is too short!
Books I’ve read so far in 2024
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi, Curt Gentry
I Got a Monster by Baynard Woods, Brandon Soderberg
Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson
The Block Party by Jamie Day
Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
The Clinic by Cate Quinn
The Summer She Went Missing by Chelsea Ichaso
Slow Horses by Mick Herron
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
False Witness by Karin Slaughter
Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
Unmasked by Paul Holes, Robin Gaby Fisher
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan
Fall and Rise by Mitchell Zuckoff
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff, Holter Graham
Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden
The It Girl by Ruth Ware
The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Sandy Hook by Elizabeth Williamson
Lying Game by Ruth Ware
Zero Days by Ruth Ware
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
It by Stephen King
Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
The Betrothed (The Betrothed #1) by Kiera Cass
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
The Betrayed (The Betrothed #2) by Kiera Cass
Crazy House (Crazy House #1) by James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet
The Fall of Crazy House (Crazy House #2) by James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet
Anatomy (Anatomy #1) by Dana Schwartz
Immortality (Anatomy #2) by Dana Schwartz
The Luminaries (The Luminaries #1) by Susan Dennard
. . . And that’s it! A simple post back — because yes, hopefully I am back? We will see.
I hope you are happy, and sending all the love,
