Lydia Schoch

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

A few days ago I blogged about all of the books I read 2025.

Today I’ll include a brief description of why these titles were my favourites from last year as well as I think it makes these sorts of posts more memorable. It always makes me smile when other bloggers share those details, too.

1. “Reindeer Moon” by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

Why I Loved It: Ms. Thomas truly made me feel as though I’d travelled back 20,000 in the past to meet a tribe whose culture, religion, social structure, and way of life shared almost nothing in common with how I grew up.  That is not an easy accomplishment, but it sure makes for a compelling read.

2. “The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood

Why I Loved It: We finally were able to find out what happened to Offred and many of the other characters from The Handmaid’s Tale. The ending was immensely satisfying, too.

3. “Ghosts, Trolls and the Hidden People: An Anthology of Icelandic Folk Legends” Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir

Why I Loved It: I have zero Icelandic ancestry or any other connection to this part of the world, but at least these tales were (mostly) created at a time when things like Christianity and farming existed. As with Reindeer Moon, it was marvellous to get to know a little about a culture so different from the one I grew up in. Learning about other cultures is so rewarding.

3. “The Blue Castle” by L.M. Montgomery 

Why I Loved It: The romance genre is one I only occasionally visit, but this was an excellent reread. There’s nothing like seeing a character who has suffered for years finally not only find relief but also true love and happiness as well.

4. “The Hunger We Pass Down” by Jen Sookfong Lee

Why I Loved It: This was such a creative take on how generational trauma can be passed down for decades even after the original stressor has long since disappeared. I also thought the characters were well written and memorable, especially Alice.

5. “Born: The Untold History of Childbirth” by Lucy Inglis 

Why I Loved It: This is something that was never covered in any of the history classes I’ve ever taken, and yet humanity wouldn’t survive if nobody gave birth anymore. Most of this book covers the tens to thousands of years when pregnancy and childbirth were far more dangerous than they are today. One of my favourite sections was the one that explored how medical advancements like cesarean sections,  antibiotics,  blood transfusions, and incubators have made both of those experiences much safer for both mother and child. I am so grateful for modern medicine.

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Happy belated Winter Solstice to everyone who celebrated it a few days ago!

Here are my Winter Solstice bookish wishes for 2026.

1. Better ways to learn about upcoming nonfiction titles.

Goodreads sometimes mentions them, but there are no dedicated lists for new nonfiction there from what I can find. If you know of a site that remains up-to-date on this, please share.

2. Library access for everyone.

One of the things that surprised me when I started to get to know other Top Ten Tuesday bloggers is that free public libraries don’t exist in some countries and are maybe only available in big cities in others. I think everyone should have access to free books no matter where you live.

3. More novels about older protagonists  

When I say older, I mean senior citizen age. Even though I’m a long way from reaching that label, I enjoy reading about the lives of people who aren’t your typically 18-30 year old protagonists. There’s so much more to life than being a teenager or young adult, and it’s not explored enough in my opinion.

4. More short stories and novellas 

I know I’ve mentioned my love of shorter form literature in previous bookish wishes posts, but this is my comfort zone at the moment.

5. A good cup of tea

So much in life can be made just an little easier with a good cup of tea.

6. New books from all of our favourite authors.

Wouldn’t that be nice?