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| Me, figuring out my reading stats |
Yearly Stats
Books completed: 56 (of these 56 there were 3 that I gave up on)
Pages read: 14,400 (roughly) Now, just to be accurate... well, as accurate as I can be, obviously I didn't read all of the 3 that I gave up on. But according to Goodreads, I've actually read 14,463 pages) So let's say, 14,000+ pages
Ratings: 5* - 1 book
4* (means 4.0 & 4.5 stars) - 29 books
3* (3.0 & 3.5) - 23 books
No Rating - 3 books
Favorite book so far - The Serial Garden, The Complete Armitage Family Stories by Joan Aiken (5 - stars)
Reading Challenges
1. 12 + 4 Challenge - Short Stories - Completed six books so far and currently reading The Golden Ball and Other Stories by Agatha Christie.There is my reading an updated challenge list. Four new books have arrived since my last update so I'll include those in this post as well.
Newest Books
1. All in her Head; The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught us About Women's Bodies and Why it Matters Today by Elizabeth Comen (Non Fiction / 2024)."The fascinating history of women’s health as it’s never been told before.
For as long as medicine has been a practice, women's bodies have been treated like objects to be practiced on: examined and ignored, idealized and sexualized, shamed, subjugated, mutilated, and dismissed. The history of women’s healthcare is a story in which women themselves have too often been voiceless—a narrative instead written from the perspective of men who styled themselves as authorities on the female of the species, yet uninformed by women’s own voices, thoughts, fears, pain and experiences. The result is a cultural and societal legacy that continues to shape the (mis)treatment and care of women.While the modern age has seen significant advancements in the medical field, the notion that female bodies are flawed inversions of the male ideal lingers on—as do the pervasive societal stigmas and lingering ignorance that shape women’s health and relationships with their own bodies.
Memorial Sloan Kettering oncologist and medical historian Dr. Elizabeth Comen peels back the curtain on the collective medical history of women to reintroduce us to our whole bodies—how they work, the actual doctors and patients whose perspectives and experiences laid the foundation for today’s medical thought, and the many oversights that still remain unaddressed. With a physician’s knowledge and empathy, Dr. Comen follows the road map of the eleven organ systems to share unique and untold stories, drawing upon medical texts and journals, interviews with expert physicians, as well as her own experience treating thousands of women.
Empowering women to better understand ourselves and advocate for care that prioritizes healthy and joyful lives—for us and generations to come—All in Her Head is written with humor, wisdom, and deep scientific and cultural insight. Eye-opening, sometimes enraging, yet always captivating, this shared memoir of women’s medical history is an essential contribution to a holistic understanding and much-needed reclaiming of women’s history and bodies."
"A graphic novel about two irresistible cat friends on a journey to find their forever home—a journey inspired by the magic of art and storytelling.
Cilla and Betto are two friends who need a place to call home. The docks in Valletta are too wet, and the scraps of food too scarce. The city’s streets are too busy, and the humans too unreliable.
But what about the quiet garden from old kitten tales—a place where all cats are welcome, and the humans are always kind? Could the stories really be true?
As Cilla and Betto embark on a grand adventure to find out, they begin to spin a tale of their own—one that will take them through the art and stories of many journeyers who came before, and that will bring them to a surprising destination."
"With his sniffer dog, Pippin, Dr. Peter Bannerman uncovers suspects, treats animals, tracks a kitten kidnapper, and must solve a locked-room mystery.<?b>
In the fourth book in the series, Dr. Peter Bannerman’s brother Sam takes in three Bengal kittens after the previous owner, his neighbor in a Winnipeg north end apartment building, is found dead. The death was originally thought to be due to accidental autoerotic asphyxiation, but after investigation, Sam is arrested and charged with his neighbor’s murder.
Sam suffers from several mental health conditions, but Peter refuses to believe that he is capable of killing someone, so he sets out to prove his innocence. Sam, however, is more concerned about one of the kittens who has gone missing. With the help of his talented sniffer dog, Pippin, Peter tries to find the kitten, as well as evidence that someone else murdered the neighbor.
Peter talks to the other people in Sam’s building, and several appear to be plausible alternative killers. However, by that time Sam, still in custody, begins to rave about ghosts being the real murderers and insists Peter investigate that. Despite not believing in ghosts (not in the slightest), he has a terrifying experience while spending the night in Sam’s apartment.
The situation rapidly spirals, putting Peter and Pippin in peril and ultimately revealing a story of revenge served cold from decades ago and continents away."
4. When the Forest Breathes; Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World by Suzanne Simard (Non Fiction / 2026).
"The trailblazing scientist who pioneered the concept of sophisticated communication between trees returns with a book that places nature’s own cycles of renewal at the center of a powerful vision for the future of our forests
With her bestselling book Finding the Mother Tree, forest ecologist Suzanne Simard introduced the world to the profound intelligence and interconnectedness of trees. Now, with When the Forest Breathes, she uncovers the ways that nature’s deep-rooted cycles of renewal can ensure the longevity of threatened ecosystems.
Raised in a family of loggers committed to sensible forest stewardship, Simard has watched as timber companies leave forests at higher risk for wildfires, water crises, and plant and animal extinction. But her research has the potential to chart a new course. The forest, she reveals, is a symphony of finely honed cycles of regeneration—from mushrooms breaking down logs to dying elder trees passing their genetic knowledge to younger ones—that hold the key to protecting our forests. Working closely with local Indigenous communities, whose models of responsible forestry have been largely dismissed, Simard examines how human interventions—particularly destruction of the overstory's mother trees—endanger new growth and longevity. If we can honor the tools that trees have honed for sharing intergenerational wisdom, she argues, we can protect these sacred places for many years to come.
As she considers how older living things facilitate the conditions for new growth to flourish, Simard faces parallel rhythms of loss and regeneration in her own life, watching her two daughters grow into adults and savoring her final days with her ailing mother. Animated by wonder for our forests and the intricate practices of caretaking that have long sustained them, When the Forest Breathes is a vital reminder of all the natural world has to teach us about adaptability, resilience, and community."
So there you go folks. Enjoy your May selections and the rest of 2026.













