Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: New Books I Am Looking Forward to This Year

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews asks that you share your link on their weekly post on their website (it will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated.   

Welcome to the official first Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge of 2026! Thanks for being here today. 

This time of year, there is talk about the new books we plan to read. Here are a few that caught my eye:

1. A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
2. We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America by Norah O'Donnell with Kate Andersen Brower
3. Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts
4. The Bookshop of 99 Doors by Jamie Jo Wright
5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Meltdown by Sheila Roberts

Looking forward to checking out your blogs today. Thanks for reading!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2025 & Tell Me Something Tuesday: What are Your Blogging/Reading Goals for the New Year?

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Happy first Top Ten Tuesday of 2026! Today, we are sharing the best books we read last year. 

Can I tell you a little secret? I was shocked to learn I had met my Goodreads goal in 2025 because it didn't seem possible. Well, looks like the Kindle Unlimited account I share with my daughter is responsible for me reading 60+ books in 2025. I really only read 41 of them. Needless to say, I am going to need to keep track of her reading now, too. 

Out of the books I did read, here (in no particular order) are the...

Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2025

1. Jesus Listens by Sarah Young (devotional)
2. 1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History by Charles Bracelen Flood (Civil War history)
3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (professional development)
4. Down to the Bone by Caitlin Rother (true crime)
5. The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jamie Jo Wright (Gothic fiction)
6. Captain LOL and Rubber Chicken: Har Har by Craig Yoe (middle grade fiction)
7. The Man Next Door by Sheila Roberts (women's fiction)
8. Ms. Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest by Chris Grabstein (middle grade fiction)
9. Never Let a Unicorn Meet a Reindeer! by Diane Alber (picture book)
10. While We Were Young by K. L. Walther (coming of age teen/YA)

Thanks to Freepik for the image

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

Today's Tell Me Something Tuesday is asking us to share our blogging/reading goals for 2026. I don't have all of these finalized yet, though that is highly unusual for me. I took a step back over the holidays to refresh and restore my body and soul. Getting back to work this week, I feel like I can nail down all my goals. 

The one goal I am sure of is this: read more books from my TBR pile than I add new books to my list. How can I accomplish this:

1. Don't request to review as many virtual book tour titles. Ones that I know I will request: Sheila Roberts and Jamie Jo Wright. Sheila tours new books every year, and I don't plan to miss them. Jamie Jo has two coming out in 2026. 
2. Only use my Audible credits for new books, and only after I listen to the six new ones I have already ordered since my subscription renewed.
3. Pre-order only the books by authors I know, and make a concerted effort not to buy more books until read at least five from my TBR pile. 

Not sure I can stick to this goal, but I plan to do my best. My TBR pile is at 320, and my free Kindle books list is at 723, many of which I haven't read. I am overdue to spend time with these books. 

Looking forward to checking in with you this afternoon. I have meetings this morning. Thanks for reading!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Jan 5

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you enjoyed your holidays. Were you able to relax a bit? Like many, I return to work today. Granted, my schedule is more flexible than others, but I've appreciated having some time to refresh and restore my tired body and soul. 

Here are some recent photos: 

Gifts from one of my real estate clients

Spent a wonderful amount of time

in the kitchen

Travis took over my new basket

Dwight likes my wrapping supplies

Between Christmas and New Year's, I was able to catch up on reading and blogging. 

My review of this Advent devotional by Cynthia Ruchti appears here.

My review of the seasonal romance, Christmas on Reindeer Road by Debbie Mason appears here. 

I am halfway through reading the I Heard The Bells Christmas novella collection by the Fab Four authors. 

I also started Hooked by Cailtin Rother. 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

I downloaded a Kindle freebie a couple of days ago. Doesn't Write Me a Ghost Story by Phillipa Wozniak sound good? 

Myrtle Glubber came to the Hawaiian writers’ retreat looking for sunshine, snacks, and some lighthearted mystery—not an actual corpse.

Instead, the seasoned sleuth and her steadfast sidekick Stanley are swept into a chilling mix of island folklore, ghost stories, and a suspicious group of mystery authors who may be hiding more than plot twists. Before the workshops even begin, a murder shatters the tropical calm, and Myrtle finds herself at the heart of a real-life whodunit. Trapped on the island by a washed-out bridge and surrounded by writers with shifting stories and shady motives, Myrtle must rely on her instincts—and Stanley’s quiet support—as the danger creeps closer. A thoughtful retired detective offers help and history, but even his steady presence can’t protect them from the rising tension… or the next murder.

Can Myrtle unravel the tangled mystery before the killer strikes again?

Rich with ghostly legends, sly humor, and an older heroine who’s still got it, this paranormal cozy is a page-turner for anyone who believes murder and mayhem don’t retire when you do.

Buy this Myrtle Ghost Story today—because on this island, the spirits are restless, and the killer has a deadline.

Upcoming Events

Hooked by Catilin Rother - January (Review)

Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality by John Beilharz - Jan 26 (Interview)

Artsy Rambler by Evy and Rich Journey - Feb 3 (Spotlight)

Winter's Season by R. J. Koreto - Feb 13 (Spotlight)

Hook, Line, and Murder by GG Calpo - Mar 2 (Interview)

Agatha Christie, She Watched by Teresa Peschel - Apr 15 (Review)

Christmas Year Round

At my Christmas blog, I posted my final Christmas... in the news segment for Christmas 2025. I'm thinking of ideas for what to replace it with until Christmas news is plentiful again. You can check it out here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

I shared some of the children's books that are currently on my Kindle. Check them out here. I also linked to my New Year's Day post at Christian Children's Authors. You can find that here.

Laura's Little Houses

My top five favorite episodes from the eighth season of Little House on the Prairie are posted here. 

That's it from me this week. Wishing you a blessed 2026! 

Book Review: The Spirit of Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti

 

If you're looking for a new Advent devotional, I highly recommend The Spirit of Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti. 

Each year, I search out a new Advent devotional to focus my heart and mind during the Christmas season. This summer, I purchased Ruchti's latest, The Spirit of Christmas. Everything about this devotional was well thought out and beautiful. From the cover design to the interior design, from the featured Scripture passages to Advent prayers, and from the author's touching words to the additional notes and resources for supplementary reading, activity, and devotion time, this is a purposeful way of getting into the spirit of Christmas. 

The Spirit of Christmas leads us to think of the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. It shows the reader how the presence of the Holy Spirit was there long before Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she was chosen to bring God's Son to the world. It tells the story of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and the New Testament. This devotional connects dots throughout Scripture that provoke new thoughts and new ideas on how to approach a story we feel we are familiar with. It will touch your heart and mind, uplifting you during a season of love, joy, and peace. 

Soon, the Christmas season will be over, but give yourself a chance to experience The Spirit of Christmas early or make sure you have a copy on hand to prepare for next Christmas. It is always the right time to explore the presence of the Holy Spirit. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chosen Books
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 9, 2025
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 184 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800772806
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800772802

I purchased a copy of this book for my collection. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Happy New Year!

 As I enter my 19th year of blogging at The Book Connection, I thank all of my loyal readers and blogging friends who have made this such a joyful endeavor. Wishing you a new year filled with good health, happiness, and prosperity. 

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: What I Hope for Myself in 2026

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews asks that you share your link on their weekly post on their website (it will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated.   

Though the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is on hiatus until the new year, I created my own for today. Hope you will still visit Long and Short Reviews to see what they are reading and writing about. 

Last week, I shared what I wished for my blogging friends. This week, I am sharing what I hope for myself in the coming year.

As I come to the end of another year, 2025 felt too similar to the years before it. I'm tired of being tired. I'm done with feeling emotionally and physically drained. I want less chaos. Here is my hope for me:

• To get better at scheduling my life in a way that works for me. I don't want to cram things in or run on fumes. I need a plan that feels doable. 
• I’m also ready to get better at boundaries. Saying no without guilt. Saying yes because I want to, not because I feel obligated. Protecting my time and energy like they actually matter.
• Adding in more self-care. Real self‑care. Not the “I’ll squeeze it in if I have time” kind, but the kind that becomes part of the rhythm of my week. Resting before I’m exhausted. Doing things that make me feel human again.
• I also want to read more in 2026. Every year, I plan to read seasonal fiction. Every year, I plan to focus on my TBR pile. If I create a more doable plan, then I can accomplish more reading for entertainment. I want to pick up more books for the sheer joy of it. 

My plan for the year ahead: a little more structure, a lot more peace, and plenty of pages turned.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf & Tell Me Something Tuesday: What are your favorite books/audiobooks that you read in 2025?

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Here we are at the last Top Ten Tuesday of 2025. Hope you've enjoyed following along with my posts this year. We are discussing the most recent additions to our bookshelves this week, so these titles will likely seem familiar. 

Top Ten Most Recent 

Additions to My Bookshelf

Next is Now by Leigh Brown

The Hard Thing about Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

The Inn at Holiday Bay: Christmas in the Country by Kathi Daley

Away in a Manger by Rhys Bowen

Operation Mistletoe by Elizabeth Maddrey

Christmas at Whispering Creek by Barbara M. Britton

Christmas Cold Case by Sarah Hamaker

Christmas on Reindeer Road by Debbie Mason

The Secrets of Palmerston House by Phillipa Nefri Clark

Chapters and Second Chances by Evelyn Grace Berry

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

I didn't read as many books as planned. However, I still managed to make my Goodreads challenge goal because I had adjusted it earlier in the year. Here were a few of my favorites:

1. Jesus Listens by Sarah Young
2. 1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History by Charles Bracelen Flood 
3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
4. Down to the Bone by Caitlin Rother
5. The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jamie Jo Wright

What are some of your favorite books from 2025?