I just got back from vacation late last night, so it’s a short newsletter this week but I’ll be back next Friday with all my thoughts on why every contemporary romance seems to be sold as a rom-com lately.
I’ve been tracking my reading with the Novelly Yours reading tracker (currently sold out) for the last few years and on Goodreads for almost ten years but I was inspired by a discussion around reading tracking in the Fiction Matters community to add something new to my routine. It’s a lined notebook, like the ones I took frantically scribbled notes in during college, with a pattern of California poppies scattered across it. After I finish a book, I record the title, author, why I read it, and all of my spectacularly disorganized thoughts. I can write however much or however little I want. There’s often a question mark or two, as I sort through everything I thought and felt about each book. I go on tangents and sometimes in circles. Just letting the words spill out on paper has been helping me pinpoint what works and doesn’t work for me in a particular book, write more thoughtful reviews, and better remember what I read at the end of each month. I’ve also been loving recording the reason why I picked up a book and seeing where my recommendations come from. By the end of the year, I’m hopeful I’ll have a better sense of where I get really excellent recommendations, especially when it comes to picking up or skipping buzzy titles.
What’s been working for you when it comes to tracking your reading? Any tips for finally wrenching yourself away from Goodreads? I have a Storygraph account but I find that there’s a lot fewer reviews, especially detailed reviews, on there than Goodreads.
Currently reading: Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn and unsurprisingly loving it. Clayborn has an eye for perfectly telling details and every sentence of her books feels so lovingly, carefully constructed. I’m really enjoying the book’s thoughtful reflections on finding purpose when everyone around you seems to have already found it, yearning romance, and inclusion of one very good dog.
What’s bringing me joy this week:
The leftover vacation glow. I was in the Caribbean and it was gorgeous. I read by the pool, went to the beach, took a hike, and had several oversized tropical cocktails—everything I could want from a mid-winter vacation.
The ginger peach tea from Mem Tea Imports, which is the perfect morning winter beverage. The flavor’s subtle and complex, striking the exact right balance between sweet and spicy.
The prospect of a cozy weekend ahead. I have a stack of books to read, frozen mini lava cakes to make, and tentative plans to finally get around to watching some of the Best Picture nominees I haven’t seen yet.
I made a clean break from Goodreads for tracking my reads a little over two years ago. I still go to Goodreads to look at reviews occasionally, or to see if one of my friends has already read a book I want to share with them, but all my online tracking has moved to Storygraph. I wanted to move away from GR for the Amazon of it all, but also because the UI is so cluttered. This year I did start a paper journal (Moleskine’s Book Journal) so I make my own messy notes about a book without the pressure of online. Glad you had a wonderful vacation, Natalie!