Sometimes the best habits start by accident.
During Spring Break in 2025, I suddenly found myself with something I rarely have: time alone. Mike took Devin and Austin to Louisiana to visit his dad and stepmom, Braden went camping with his friend Matthew, and I stayed home with the five dogs.
I still had plenty to do. There were vet appointments, cleaning, walking dogs, and the normal things that keep a house running. But even with all of that, the house was quiet. Really quiet.
And I had time.
So I picked up a book.
The book I chose was Under the Beetle’s Cellar. My mom had given it to me to read when I was in high school. She used to read all the time back then, and for some reason, that story always stuck with me—the kids trapped underground and the bus driver trying to hold everything together.
I hadn’t read it since high school.
But as soon as I started reading it again, it felt exactly the same as I remembered.
And once I started reading… I didn’t stop.
That week during Spring Break, I spent hours outside reading when the weather was nice. When it wasn’t, I sat on the couch with the dogs and read there. One book turned into another, and then another.
And somehow, here we are a year later.
By the time this post goes live, I will have read 56 books in the past year.
That still feels a little unbelievable to me.
Most of the books I’ve read have come from recommendations in a Psychological Thriller Readers Facebook group I joined. I absolutely love that group. People are constantly sharing great suggestions, and it’s been an amazing way to discover new authors and stories I probably never would have found on my own.
If I had to describe my reading tastes this year, they mostly fall into two categories: psychological thrillers and spooky paranormal stories.
I love psychological thrillers because of the twists. I try to guess what’s coming, but the authors almost always fool me. I don’t want to see the ending coming—I want to be surprised. Those moments where everything flips, and you realize what’s really going on, are the best.
I also really enjoy supernatural mysteries, though I’ll admit a human villain might still be the most interesting kind.
Some of the books and series that stood out this year include The Housemaid Series by Freida McFadden, The Exorcist’s House by Nick Roberts, and the Jade Monroe FBI Agent Series by C.M. Sutter.
The funny thing is, I probably should be more critical when I talk about books, but honestly… I’ve just enjoyed them all. After so many years of barely reading or struggling to find the time, I’m just happy to be immersed in stories again.
I never set a reading goal for the year, and I still don’t plan to.
Some weeks, I read a lot. Other weeks, I barely pick up a book. Life gets busy, especially with the kids and soccer starting back up again. But I read when I can—during my lunch break, while dinner is cooking, or at night after the kids go to bed, when the house is finally quiet.
Sometimes on the weekends, I’ll read for hours. Other times, I won’t touch a book all day.
And that’s okay.
There’s no pressure with this. No reading challenge. No number I’m trying to hit.
Just reading when I feel like it.
Along the way, I also started writing book reports on my blog. My blog had been pretty quiet for a while, and I thought it might be a fun way to start posting again.
Honestly, I’m not even sure anyone is reading them—and that’s fine. I mostly write them for myself. I’ve discovered that I forget what a book is about almost as soon as I finish it. Apparently, that’s pretty common, but it still drives me crazy. Writing about the story afterward helps me remember it and capture my thoughts while it’s still fresh.
Reading has added more to my life this year than I expected.
Mike and I have talked about several of the books I’ve read, and we’ve even watched a few movies based on them. I love pointing out the differences between the book and the movie versions. Reading has also replaced a lot of the time I used to spend mindlessly watching TV or snacking out of boredom.
Instead, I’ll grab a book.
I also try to read outside whenever the weather cooperates. Sitting in the sunshine or feeling a cool breeze while getting lost in a story is one of the most relaxing things I’ve found.
And yes… more than a few of these books have kept me up way too late at night because I just had to finish the next chapter.
A few memorable moments from this year of reading:
- Most shocking twist: The Boyfriend
- Creepiest reads: The Exorcist’s House, Stolen Tongues, and The September House
- Most emotional: Saving Noah
That last one really got to me. As a mom, I found myself putting myself in the mother’s position and wondering what I would do. I also felt for Noah and the impossible situation he was in. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you long after you finish it.
Looking back over the past year, I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is that reading doesn’t have to be complicated.
You don’t need goals.
You don’t need to read a certain number of pages.
You don’t need to finish a book every week.
Sometimes you’ll go days—or even a week—without picking up a book. That’s life.
But when you do have a few minutes, you can read a chapter. Maybe even just a few pages between chores or before bed.
And that’s enough.
One year ago, I picked up a book simply because I had a quiet house and some extra time.
Fifty-six books later, I’ve fallen back in love with reading.
And I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.