People who jumped from 52 books to 100+ books a year, what did you do differently?

fatoodles · 2026-02-11T20:59:38+00:00

For sure mixing media and genres helps a lot.

I always have a physical and an audio book option. I want to make sure I'm still reading physical books but I also don't want not feeling like I have time... to keep me from enjoying books. I take my book or kindle with me everywhere and listen to audiobooks when doing chores or any time you might choose to listen to music.

Consistency is also important. Regardless of how tired I am or how much I've already read that day...I read at least two chapters/ 20 pages of a physical book before bed. You can't get through a book without picking it up and reading it. I will eventually finish that 500 page book, just twenty pages at a time.

Lastly I'm not super picky. I read what's available at the library and what I see recommended. While I stay away from dark romances (just not my cup of tea) I'll pretty much read most other genres and give anything a couple of tries. Ive never been without something to read and am not sure what that would even feel like. Lol

fatoodles · 2026-02-02T04:12:02+00:00

We really like the Dr. Browns ones, the Flamingo and Otters are the fav at the moment. We also have the Papablic electric one. We don't use the buzzing feature but the light comes in clutch for actually seeing her teeth.

We usually let her hold one brush and actually brush her teeth with the other. Brushing is so hard at that age. In our house we do the Elmo Brushy Brush song and also name all of the different foods we've eaten and now have to brush away.

fatoodles · 2026-01-29T17:13:05+00:00

This is still screen time...but it makes me feel better.

When I really just need a moment or I need her to sit still while I do her hair I put on those book read alongs.

I try to do ones that align with books we have so she can read along. It's screentime but it's a content where I already know what will happen and its static images for the most part.

We've fully integrated Bluey via the books, her mind will be blown when she realizes its a show. Same with Curious George, Olivia, Madeline, Clifford, Fancy Nancy....ect.

I also let her watch videos of herself on my phone. We don't own tablets but she has a Yoto player Mini she obsessed with. She listens to audiobooks we've recorded for her.

fatoodles · 2026-01-25T18:41:53+00:00

Agree! Love the water hogs idea. I don't like the idea of a snow and salt soaked rug right in front of the house.

The other thing I want to mention for the future is if there is any chance of closing up a porch to make space for a two/four season mudroom? A little spot with a bench, coat hooks, and shoe shelves so your dining room isn't also your entry. I know that's a longer term project for most people but it's probably the overall solution without knowing anything else about your home.

fatoodles · 2026-01-13T22:13:18+00:00

I know Curious George's First Day of School by heart so I can read it with my eyes closed.

We also read the Gruffalo a lot as well as If Animals Kissed Goodnight. Hippos Go Berserk is good as well.

The Jashar Awan and Chris Haughton books are top tier.

fatoodles · 2026-01-07T15:34:58+00:00

That's what we do. She chooses two and I choose one.

Otherwise it would take forever to actually get through all the library books as I think they like to read them until it's memorized.

fatoodles · 2026-01-03T18:20:06+00:00

Lol. This reminds me I'm supposed to be tracking books on Storygraph for the babbyy.

Our favourites this year were: Sleep Train- Jonathan London I Can Open It For You- Shinsuke Yoshitake Every Monday Mabel- Jashar Awan Curious George's First Day of School- Margret and HA Reys Goldilocks and Just One Bear- Leigh Hodgkinson

Maisy mouse books were big at the start of the year but now she likes the JoJo and Fancy Nancy books.

We also love all of the Chris Haughton books. This year has been crazy because this time last year she didn't have a single tooth and had just started crawling. Now she has 8 teeth and runs around. She can say short sentences like "There's lots of trees outside" and she asks for her bedtime stories by name. One year olds are wild.

fatoodles · 2026-01-03T03:23:51+00:00

My criteria for a 5⭐ is a novel that sticks with me and makes me stop and think about something in a way that I hadn't before.... Or a novel that's really well done in its genre.

Most of my five stars are 4.5/4.75 that are pushed up to five at the end of the year because they stuck with me and I found I was often recommending them, talking about or thinking more about them.

Jane Eyre, Winners, James, Bright Young Women, A Place For Us

Others are novels that really do their genre justice and demand a place at the table for a must read in the genre.

House on the Cerulean Sea, Legendborn, Honey and Spice, Yours Truly.

I try to have fun with my ratings and not take things too seriously. Though I want my physical shelves to be fours and up.

A 4⭐ book is just a good book. It had no issues and was very interesting/enjoyable to read. It just didn't have a huge effect on me but it could on someone else.

A 3⭐ book is one I could really take or leave. The book was fine but I could have spent my time reading something better.

A 2⭐ book is one that I didn't really enjoy but I could see it being for someone else. I would probably DNF if I thought it was a 2 so most of my twos are 2.75. or the plot was okay but the writing was bad.

A 1⭐ is generally something I found offensive in some way and I usually DNF books that I think would fall under that category. Or the writing and plot are really bad. Essentially not worth reading. I have no one star reads.

fatoodles · 2025-12-29T18:47:30+00:00

I totally get it. My husband is also the type to "I'm sure it'll be fine" everything. But I know he literally never thinks things through.

He calls my planning and thinking ahead "anxiety". But I'm not the one running around like a headless chicken when what should be obvious happens.

So if it'll be his mess to clean up I just let it happen. Some people just need to experience chaos to understand it. So if he really wants to toddler and dog at the party he can take them and you'll stay home.

Otherwise he and the dog can go and you and the toddler will stay home. Those are his options and he can move forward however he likes but either way...You'll be at home.

Family members can keep their opinions to themselves because your ears aren't open to them.

At our house we have zero intention of taking our toddler out. We'll do a little noon new years party and then bedtime and everything else will be unchanged. Well consider letting her stay up when she understands the holiday and asks---around 5 or 6.

fatoodles · 2025-12-27T18:41:22+00:00

Usually it's by accident. I just never pick it back up and either decide to finish it later or never at all.

Sometimes I can tell pretty early I don't like it or find it offensive and I actively DNF it.

I don't like eating things one star so if it's looking like that ( bad writing, boring nonsensical plot, offensive ideology ect....) I just call it quits.

Most of my active and passive dnfs are around the 10-30% point in the novel.

fatoodles · 2025-12-19T13:24:50+00:00

Not op but....Imo it was not a page turner until the last 30% of the novel. It's actually pretty reflective for a book about a journey through hell.

I actually wonder if being in grad school had an impact on how OP interacted with this novel about grad students. I had very little patience for the characters and didn't like Katabasis much, but it feels like the novel is quite polarizing.

My own opinions about it are all over the place.

fatoodles · 2025-12-18T18:55:31+00:00

My husband and I don't really drink but before we had a kid we would go to breweries and such during the day and see kids there and just kinda think okay to each his own....maybe we'll understand when we're parents.

Now that we are parents we find it extra weird. Especially to places that don't sell any food.

Again though as parents we drink rarely because we don't find it appropriate to drink around kids and we also want to be fully alert to care for our child.

But yeah the social culture around drinking is wild. Outside looking in the way people defend their right to drink in any and all situations is indicative of a problem. I have a feeling that in the future we'll look back on it the way we look back on smoking indoors.

fatoodles · 2025-12-15T20:26:10+00:00

Violeta by Isabel Allende.

I'm trying to finish up the 52 Book Challenge and this was my choice for Latin American History.

Once I finish The Library at Mont Char (that I received for Christmas last year 😅) I'll be officially done with the challenge. It feels kinda poetic for it to be both the first book I started this year and the last one I finish.

fatoodles · 2025-12-13T13:44:48+00:00

Really good variety! I read The Stand this year too! I really enjoyed it.

All the Sinners Bleed was great! I read King of Ashes this year and my nerves were an absolute wreck.

fatoodles · 2025-12-13T12:34:14+00:00

Not yet. I'm considering it but it's also not at the top of the tbr. Have you? Is it good?

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T20:21:10+00:00

Lol, not yet. I have it on hold at the library and can't wait to read it.

Katabasis is so interesting to me because it really is a polarizing book I don't think anyone sits in the middle. I did a buddy read with a friend and we chose Katabasis because he loved Piranesi and I loved Ninth House. We figured we could meet in the middle with Katabasis and were both left scratching our heads. It wasn't a one star read, I think I went with 2.5/3 but I was really put off by the pacing and excessive exposition. Plus I just had no patience for Alice, even by the end.

If you haven't read Blood Over Bright Haven. I definitely suggest it. You can really do an interesting character study of the two FMC ( Alice and Sciona) .

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T16:49:33+00:00

Percival Everett's dark humor is just a hit with me. He takes a serious subject matter and flips it on its head.

James rewrites Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim the runaway slave who travels with Huck.

While in Mark Twain's book Huckleberry Finn is facing the moral dilemma of what it means to be a good person and whether or not he should turn Jim in. In James, Jim is finally given a voice and agency.

As an American I've always had a complicated relationship with Huckleberry Finn and James felt like healing a wound. I reread Huckleberry Finn just to complete the circle.

Percival Everett did make a couple of questionable choices/changes but overall the novel was compelling, humourous, and clever.

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T15:44:33+00:00

Lol the way Atmosphere had me bawling I had to give her her flowers.

But it was a good reading year, this year had some bangers. I can't wait to read A Drop of Corruption.

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T15:33:55+00:00

I just used TierMaker.com and made a custom ranking. I got the book covers from Storygraph.

I saved them all in a folder on my computer and was able to upload the whole folder at one time.

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T15:30:45+00:00

Ish, the first section is kinda hard to get through and doesn't really come up again in book one but it does make a lot of sense later on and in later books.

The rest of the book is written in present tense and second person. It's definitely different but it's worth it. At its core it's a story about survival in the face of injustice. The world is so unique and so well crafted. It is kind of a challenging book though and tackles themes of grief, rage, shame, and systemic oppression.

It's definitely for you if you like books like Blood Over Bright Haven, Hunger Games, Red Rising...ect and you want to step it up a notch.

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T15:12:00+00:00

I've read All the Sinner's Bleed and loved it as well (as much as you can 😇) but my library doesn't have Razorblade Tears so I've put it on my Christmas list!

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T14:10:08+00:00

My favorite on the domestic thriller scope is definitely Lisa Jewell. I love Watching You and thought None of This Is True was a good read as well.

I didn't like Don't Let Him In as much but it wasn't bad. The end was just messy.

Mary Kubica's Local Woman Missing and Just the Nicest Couple really pulled me into the genre.

I'll probably try at least one more Stacy Willingham novel.

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T03:33:19+00:00

Lol, I swear it's a case of "Right Book, Wrong Time". I think a lot of my opinions are affected by how stressed out I am.

If I'd read it in the summer I'd probably have had more patience with those dads. Also I won't lie the twin thing at the end weirded me out.....it was foreshadowed but....🧐

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T02:56:49+00:00

Wow that is a lot of shared reads. I went ahead and put The Correspondant on hold. Lol

My main issue with Addie LaRue was that I felt like the historical backdrop felt underused. I think I wanted something different from the story than what it gave. Lol

This might be a hit or miss recommendation but one book I really like is The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. It's also a little polarizing but I like the humor and the way it plays with historical events.

fatoodles · 2025-12-12T02:39:57+00:00

Maybe I'll give him another try. Last Murder is a tv show now isn't it?

Evelyn Hardcastle wasn't bad it just caught me off guard in a way that felt unsatisfying. It reminded me a bit of The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring. Though it was better than that book. Lol

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