#atoz

I’ve made it halfway through the alphabet on my 2026 A To Z Reading Challenge, and I’ve had a lot of great reads. So far, these three are the front-runners. Here’s the recap of what I’ve read this year so far:

My letter “M” pick for this year’s A to Z reading challenge was MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON: THINGS ABOUT ME by Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp. This delightful children’s book is the direct result of a hugely popular set of YouTube videos by the same name that were posted fifteen years ago. I loved Marcel and the way he loves himself, and this peek into his quirky little life was…

My letter “L” pick for this year’s A to Z Reading Challenge was THE LAST LETTER by Rebecca Yarros. This author is of course, the writer of the wildly popular Fourth Wing series, but she’s every bit as adept in contemporary romance. Beckett (code name Chaos) is part of a special ops force and works in Afghanistan as a handler for an explosives sniffing dog named Havoc. When his best buddy, Ryan…

My letter “J” pick for this year’s A To Z Reading Challenge was JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH by Jules Verne. Every year, I try to include at least one classic on the list, and I was eagerly awaiting this one. I saw the old 1959 version of this on a Saturday afternoon TV re-run when I was a kid and loved the hell out of it. The 2008 version was a real stinker (though the visual effects were…

My letter “H” pick for this year’s A To Z Reading Challenge was HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry. I will admit, this is my first Emily Henry book, but it will definitely not be the last. Damn, was this good! She was absolutely masterful creating this slow burn second-chance story, and I can see this will be a cherished re-read for many years to come. The story centers around Harriet and her group of…

My letter “G” pick for this year’s A to Z Reading Challenge was THE GIFT OF FEAR by Gavin De Becker. The subtitle on the book is “Survival Signals That Protect Us From Violence,” but I think it should be “Re-read This Book At Least Once A Year.” Gavin De Becker is a security specialist who’s worked for governments, corporations, and celebrities. He’s been called upon as an expert witness in…