Lydia Schoch

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This is going to be a hodgepodge of a post as I attempt to get as close as possible to the full ten answers over the next two months. (I started compiling this list back in November).

1. Hospitals Have Libraries.

Or at least the ones in my area do! I didn’t have a lot of time to browse through them while dealing with various medical stuff for myself and my family last year, but they seem like great places to not only find something interesting to read but also to enjoy some peace and quiet and maybe learn some more about the illnesses or other conditions that have lead you to spend time there.

While I hope that no one reading this post ends up needing this knowledge in 2026, please visit your hospital’s library if you do end up spending time there and need a restful place to unwind. I can’t recommend this resource highly enough.

2. Many People Still Die of Tuberculosis 

“Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection” by John Green dove into why this happens and what we can do to stop it. I knew this disease still killed some people, but I didn’t realize how large that number is or how cruelly unnecessary the vast majority of those deaths are.

It some ways it reminds of how people living with HIV in wealthy, developed countries now have life spans that are nearly as long as those of us who are HIV-negative while those who are HIV positive and living in developing nations generally have much shorter lifespans. 

Learning stuff like this is why I love reading nonfiction.

3. Sometimes I Like Literary Fiction

After many false starts, I now enjoy this genre on occasion. It simply takes the right plot twist for me to settle into the slower pace of these stories. This isn’t something that will ever be a regular part of my reading habits, but I’m proud of myself of continuing to try every so often until I found a few titles that work for my tastes.

4. BookTok Isn’t for Me 

I’m sorry to say that I’ve loathed every BookTok book I’ve tried and at this point I don’t know that I’ll try again because I don’t seem to fit into that demographic group at all. Kudos to those of you who do, of course!

5. I Love the Idea of Silent Book Clubs 

A Silent Book Club is a group of people who agree to meet up somewhere like a bookstore, library, or coffee shop and read silently with each other.

This is exactly the sort of reading environment that I crave more of because you can pick any genre you like and bounce among them as often as you’d prefer.  I just need to find one reasonably close to home and join in.

6. Bookstodon Is Essential 

If you have a Mastodon account, I strongly recommend getting to know the @bookstodon@fedigroups.social community. There are readers of every genre there, and I’ve read and participated in so many wonderfully nuanced conversations about books with various folks there.

(My account is @lydiaschoch@mastodon.social if anyone wants to be buddies there!)

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.