Okay, sometimes you go on a tangent about your all-time favorite books, but this week felt like a return to the usual rhythm. I’m deep in my Heated Rivalry spiral (again?? still??).

But now, I’m reading just a chapter or two a day, because I know myself…full-on hyperfixation feels amazing until it doesn’t, and pacing it out keeps things fresh.

At the same time, I’m stretching beyond my comfort zone with books I wouldn’t choose on my own.

Is it always joyful?

No, but there’s some actual magic in letting yourself try something new. Even if you “have to,” thanks to a school assignment or a reading challenge category.

That’s how I ended up reading Legends and Librarians for my library’s Ultimate Book Nerd challenge. At first, I didn’t totally click with it, but then the universe threw in one of its weird little winks - a random character named Sir Reginald III (and if you’ve been here for even five minutes, you know why that matters). 🐔

It was such a bizarrely perfect moment of bookish serendipity that I had to just stop and laugh. Sometimes you don’t realize why you are where you are until the story hands it to you in the most unlikely place.

That book’s last lines about friendship and community described exactly what I hoped to build with this podcast: a place to geek out over stories, be silly, feel seen, and support each other’s reading lives.

It’s wild how finding a character name or a single line in a random book can be the confirmation you need that you’re in the right place, doing what matters, and connecting with people who get it.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

* Tough Guy by Rachel Reid

* The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

* How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein

* Legends and Librarians by Pandora Pierce

Let’s Talk

If you’ve ever had a book give you a sign, or found an odd little connection in a story at exactly the right moment, I want to hear about it. What’s the wildest or most perfect book coincidence you’ve experienced?

This week, I had to pivot a little: less reading, a lot more creating. Getting my pop-up merch shop together turned out to be a much bigger project than I expected, which meant trading some of my regular reading time for crafty energy and behind-the-scenes hustle.

You can check out the merch shop, here! I’d love any feedback you have on the designs or what you’d like to see in the shop. Hoping to get my “official” Etsy shop up and running by the end of the month…fingers crossed.

This week, I’ve been thinking about how funny (and a little tragic) it is that creating content about books sometimes leaves me with less time to actually read them. But I’m making peace with it, knowing that this is just how it goes sometimes.

I found myself reaching for the usual comfort rereads. Yes, the Game Changers universe is still living rent-free in my brain…but also letting myself try a few new things, both in books and in creative projects.

Crafting and audiobooks were how I coped this week. Not having access to my favorite audiobook (thanks, library hold list), I listened to what I already had. And I leaned further into cross-stitch and knitting, letting those old familiar patterns and new creative sparks fill up the limited time I had.

Beyond the comfort re-reads, I also wandered into some books outside my comfort zone and reminded myself (again) that you absolutely do not have to finish books that aren’t serving you, unless you’re a homeschool mom finishing The Hobbit with your kids…

Yet, even then, there’s value if you look hard enough for it.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* The Long Game by Rachel Reid

* The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

* How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein

* Legends and Librarians by Pandora Pierce

Let’s Talk

What’s getting you through your week right now? Are you crafting, rereading old favorites, or letting yourself try something new in your reading life? Are you still stuck at the Cottage with no plans to ever leave?!

This week, I’m channeling all my energy into the books that have changed my reading life, not the ones that kept me up crying at 2 a.m. (though shoutout to those).

These are the nonfiction books that have shifted the way I think, write, and just generally exist in the world. There’s something about picking up the right nonfiction book at the right time that helps me see things a little differently. Sometimes it’s about creativity; sometimes it’s about habits; sometimes it’s about figuring out what you need to hear to just keep going.

I’ve always been that person whose reading life crosses from fiction right into the messier, less linear world of nonfiction. Memoir, self-reflection, a little bit of magic and a lot of honesty.

These are the books I come back to for perspective. I love fiction for the distractions and the feels, but I need nonfiction for the practice of being human. Creativity, gratitude, doing the work…none of it is easy.

Sometimes I need someone else to show me the way.

There have been days and entire seasons of my life where taking a tiny step forward every day, or just finding someone who’s been through it and come out the other side, gave me the courage to go on. And egads, I love how books can do that for us and then just casually live on your bookshelf like they didn’t just change your life!

So, if you’re in a season when you need your books to tell you a new story about your own experience, you’re not alone.

And I’m reading right there with you.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

* Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

* The Pivot Year by Brianna Weist

* Make Miracles in 40 Days by Melody Beattie (out on assignment!)

* Badass Habits by Jen Sincero

Let’s Talk

What’s your favorite nonfiction book? What did it teach you, and did it help make your life better?

This week was…a lot, and honestly, I don’t have the energy to pretend everything is polished or perfect, or worse, try to actually make it be like that. So I figured, why not lean right into the mess and talk about why this podcast exists, why it sounds the way it does, and why I don’t care about editing or fancy extras?

Done is better than perfect, and sometimes the magic is in just showing up: imperfectly, joyfully, talking about books because I want to, not because anyone expects perfection.

This week, I’m diving into the books that have been true game changers for me and my reading life; those stories that shook something loose in my brain or helped me see the world, myself, or other people in a new way.

I’m talking about the ones that make you want to talk back, start a podcast, join a fandom, or, let’s be honest, rethink your feelings about vampires and hockey smut.

It ended up being a mix of book love, personal confessions (yep, I admitted the Twilight thing), and reminders that it’s okay to be loud, messy, and take up space as a reader.

My reading life isn’t tidy, and neither is this podcast. If you’re looking for highly edited, polished content, there are plenty of other places you can go. But if you’re happy with joyful chaos and slightly unhinged book talk, I’m so glad you’re here.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

* Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

* Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

* the princess saves herself in this one by Amanda Lovelace

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive your FREE Best Reading Life Guide, become a free or paid subscriber below!

Let’s Talk

I want to know - do you have a book (or a series) that totally changed something for you, even if it surprised you? What’s your “game changer”?

Now also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

Some weeks, my brain is like…yeah, we’re not doing anything new right now.

I reread Role Model this week, and knowing what’s happening in The Long Game at the same time?? Completely different experience. There’s so much happening in the background that you don’t fully catch it the first time, and going back to it felt like I was reading it fully for the first time.

And at the same time, I picked up Lobizona, which is doing something totally different but still kind of the same. Identity, belonging, immigration, gender - all wrapped up in this wild, magical world, and I’m still sitting with it because it impacted me in a completely different way.

But I’ve also been watching what’s happening online this week, and I feel like we need to gently, collectively, come back to center a little bit. Because there’s a difference between loving a story (book or TV show), even obsessing over it a little, and starting to lose the line between that story and real people.

You’re allowed to feel connected, and everyone involved is grateful that you care and appreciate their work. What makes it fun, safe, and not weird is remembering where the story ends.

And I think most of you already know that. I’ve seen it in your comments, your messages, the way you show up here. This isn’t about shutting anything down. It’s just about keeping the thing we all love, something we can actually keep enjoying.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

* Role Model by Rachel Reid

* The Long Game by Rachel Reid

* Lobizona by Romina Garber

* The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Join the conversation over on Substack! https://renreadstoomuch.substack.com/

Some weeks are not “try something new” weeks. And I feel like we don’t talk about that enough.

This has been a low-capacity week for me.

The kind where everything feels a little too loud, a little too heavy, and I do not have the energy to invest in figuring out if a new book is going to give me the dopamine.

So I didn’t. I went straight back to The Long Game because I knew exactly what I was going to get from it. No ramp-up. No risk. Just feelings on demand. And honestly? That was the only thing that sounded even remotely appealing.

I did add a few other books to the mix, but every night, I came right back to sad Ilya and clueless, disordered-eating Shane.

Remember, sometimes the win is not finding something new.

Sometimes the win is knowing yourself well enough to say, “I don’t have it in me this week, I need something that already works.” It’s not lazy or boring. It’s a really solid read on your own capacity and needs in the moment.

Also, the amount of messages I’ve been getting about starting a book club?? I see you. I’m working on it. And I’m already thinking about how I want it to feel less like “keeping up” and more like a place where you can show up exactly as you are.

Whether you’re reading something new, rereading the same book for the fifth time, or just there for the vibes and the conversation. If you’re here, you’ll be the first to know when that’s ready.

So if your reading life looks a little repetitive right now, or if you keep reaching for the same story because it’s the only thing that sounds good, remember that I’m right there with you.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Heated Rivalry

* Role Model

* The Long Game

* Cocky Score by Kenna King

* Lobizana by Romina Garber

* The Age of Overwhelm by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky

Let’s Talk

What’s a book you didn’t just fall back on, but actively chose because you knew it would take care of you?

There’s a difference between being unable to move on and choosing to stay somewhere that feels good.

There’s this boring narrative floating around that rereading the same book means you’re stuck. That you should be moving on, finding something new, expanding your horizons like a “good reader.” But that’s not actually what’s happening.

When you go back to the same story again and again, it’s usually because your brain already knows it’s safe there.

You know how it ends. You know how it feels. There’s no emotional risk, no uncertainty, no extra effort required to process something new. And when life feels loud or heavy or just like too much, that predictability isn’t boring. It’s regulating.

And I think what’s easy to miss is that this isn’t just about the book…

It’s about what the book is giving you.

If a story makes you feel connected, or hopeful, or a little bit softer in a world that feels sharp, of course, you’re going to go back to it.

That’s not avoidance.

That’s meeting a need.

I see it all the time in this community. People aren’t just rereading for the sake of it. They’re taking the feeling the book gives them, and letting it spill into their real life.

And maybe the more honest question isn’t “Why can’t I move on from this?” but “What is this giving me that I don’t want to lose yet?”

Because once you see it that way, the guilt kind of falls apart. You’re not behind. You’re not doing reading wrong. You’re responding to something that feels good, or safe, or meaningful.

And you’re allowed to stay there for as long as you need.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Game Changer

* Heated Rivalry

* Tough Guy

* Common Goal

* Role Model

* The Long Game

* Love and Saffron

* One and Only

* Mythos

Let’s Talk

What’s the one story you keep going back to lately, and what do you think it’s giving you right now?

This week felt a little off.

Not in a bad way, just one of those weeks where I really wanted to curl up with a book and disappear for a bit. And instead, I was doing mom stuff, cleaning, organizing, trying to settle into a new rhythm around the house.

And when I did get time to read, I noticed something interesting.

I wanted something new. It finally felt like I could move on from Heated Rivalry (if I was properly motivated).

I ended up picking up Cursed King, book 1 of 4 in a series that isn’t finished. This is not something I usually do…

I don’t love starting unfinished series. But this one works because each book stands on its own. It gave me just enough of that “new” feeling without asking too much from me.

And it filled a category for my Ultimate Book Nerd Challenge with my local library (A book with a curse). The characters were well written, and it was pleasantly spicy, with a fun premise. An enjoyable, quick read!

I’m still doing my deep dive on Shane’s autism traits in Heated Rivalry, and the close reading of the story is making me love it even more!

At this point, I don’t think that’s changing any time soon, and I’ve accepted it with joy.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Game Changer

* Heated Rivalry

* Tough Guy

* Common Goal

* Role Model

* The Long Game

* The Re-Do List

* The Age of Overwhelm

* Cursed King (Once Upon Ever After Book 1)

Let’s Talk

Be honest…are you reading “responsibly” right now?

Or are you fully committed to a book (or series) that you will absolutely not be moving on from anytime soon?

Tell me what you’re stuck on, I want to know!

This week felt like one of those moments where I zoomed out a little and realized, oh, there are a LOT of us out here.

I had someone comment that they were 83 the first time they read Heated Rivalry or watched the show, and I have not stopped thinking about it. Because that’s it, right there.

This whole idea that reading, especially emotional, immersive, sometimes slightly unhinged reading, is just for a certain age or phase of life?

Completely false.

At the same time, I’ve been bouncing between books that make absolutely no sense together…Neon Gods, Olive Kitteridge, and yes… back to Heated Rivalry again. And I’m just letting that be what it is.

No overthinking, no trying to “fix” my reading habits into something more productive or impressive.

And I think that’s the thread running through all of this.

There is nothing wrong with wanting books, people, and spaces that feel good to be in. You don’t age out of that. You don’t earn your way into it. You’re just allowed to be the delightful human that you are.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Game Changer

* Heated Rivalry

* Tough Guy

* Common Goal

* Role Model

* The Long Game

* Neon Gods

* Olive Kitteredge

Let’s Talk…

What are you reading this week?

Are you in a reread loop, too?

And if so, are you stuck at the cottage (or the trophy room (IYKYK)?!

This has been coming up a lot in my comments and messages lately: people saying they’re in a reading slump, they can’t get into anything new, nothing is hitting the same.

And I get it. I really do.

Because I am still picking up other books right now…

My TBR is full of things I genuinely want to read. But it’s been harder to choose, harder to stay engaged, harder to sink in the way I normally do.

And at the same time, I keep getting pulled back into Heated Rivalry and the Game Changers series. Finishing, restarting, lingering a little longer than I probably “should.”

So I don’t think this is a slump. I think this is something more like a reset.

Because reading has never just been about getting through books for me. It’s how I regulate, how I settle, how I give myself something steady to come back to when everything else feels like a lot.

So if you’re in that in-between space where nothing new quite clicks, but something familiar does, maybe nothing is wrong.

Maybe your brain just knows what it needs right now.

And you’re allowed to give it that.

📚 Books Mentioned

Some of these may be affiliate links, which just means I get a tiny kickback for fueling your reading habit.

* Game Changer

* Heated Rivalry

* Tough Guy

* Common Goal

* Role Model

* The Long Game

* Neon Gods

Let’s Talk!

What book are you a little too emotionally attached to…and not sorry about?

I’d love to hear about it in the comments!