That's a wrap on 2025's reading! I continued the Cosmere and found a new favorite series in The Dresden Files. I read more personal/spiritual development books. I'll kick off 2026 with One Word of course, but just started the second Mistborn series, and I'm looking forward to #30BookSummer!
And FINALLY… Book #30 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Mistborn #2: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. A slower middle book. Lots of talking and less action until the Sanderlanche. But that being said, I’ll be starting book 3 momentarily! It’s been an amazing summer of reading!!!
Book #29 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Star Wars: The High Republic: Tempest Breaker by Cavan Scott. Enjoyed this story that interwove with so many other tales from all 3 Phases of The High Republic.
Book #28 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Star Wars: The High Republic: Edge of Balance, Vol. 4 by Shima Shinya. Gorgeous visuals in this final High Republic Manga! So much action and emotion on every page!
Book #27 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming. An interesting premise BUT VERY disappointed with the MASSIVE amount of racism is in this book. The shock on many of the pages shook me right out of the story. Are all classic Bond books like this?
Book #26 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! The Success Criteria Playbook: A Hands-On Guide to Making Learning Visible and Measurable by John T. Almarode. Doing some professional learning around one of our School Improvement strategies.
Book #25 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Challenge! Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library #11: Up to Noir Good by Jan Fields. Always enjoy a fun and cozy Castleton murder mystery.
Book #24 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Nobody Wants Your Sh*t: The Art of Decluttering Before You Die by Messie Condo. ESSENTIAL reading for everyone who, like me, has years worth of stuff cluttering up their house and garage.
Book #23 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! The Dresden Files, #1 Storm Front by Jim Butcher. So much hype on #Booktok for this one and I loved it! A hardboiled detective story with a noir atmosphere in the vein of Raymond Chandler… but the detective is also a wizard. Deep world but not overwhelming.
Book #22 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. This one has been on my TBR for a long time. So glad I finally read it! Quirky and funny and fast paced!
Book #21 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose. Fell for the VHS cover art while shopping at Sam’s Club. Pleased to find this an intriguing mystery with great storytelling style.
Book #20 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance―Premonition by Daniel José Older. Great to see Yoda in action in this fast paced story!
Book #19 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Star Wars: The High Republic: A Valiant Vow by Justina Ireland. Great seeing the development of High Republic characters over the long arc of the multi-book story.
Book #18 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel. A family falls asleep in their cabin and wakes up with the cabin in a mysterious new place. Perfect for fans of Lost or Under the Dome, and books like Lord of the Flies or Maze Runner. Very relatable characters.
Book #17 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Autism Out Loud: Life with a Child on the Spectrum by Kate Swenson, Carrie Cariello, and Adrian Wood. A heartbreaking and heartwarming look into how families of children with autism live. As a principal it was so impactful to hear their stories.
Book #16 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Good Game, No Rematch: A Hilarious Memoir of Video Games, Personal Growth, and the Intersection of Comedy and Nostalgia by Mike Drucker. The title says it all: Funny with great nostalgia feels for 80s and 90s video games!
I’m half-way! Book #15 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove. This book is everything it was hyped to be. A new take on classic movie monsters on a space ship in the future. Thanks @ezeekat.bsky.social for this fun escapist read.
Book #14 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Casino Royale: James Bond Original Series #1 by Ian Fleming. I’ve enjoyed the movies, but never read the books. Casino Royale is totally 007 and also totally of its time ( a buffet of chauvinism, much like the movies). But an enjoyable, engaging, quick read.
Book #13 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Light by Claudia Gray. Another thrilling High Republic tale with some of my favorite characters from the era! I really enjoyed getting a deep dive into Wookiee culture on Kashyyyk.
Book #12 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Boston's Freedom Trail: Trace the Path of American History by Cindi Pietrzyk. Read it on the Boston Band Trip. Learned some fun facts about the places we saw.
Book #11 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! The Hollow (Hercule Poirot Mysteries #25) by Agatha Christie. A FANTASTIC Poirot mystery. Classic setting. Fun twists. And always the grey cells.
Book #10 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by D. Michael Abrashoff. Fantastic book on leadership! So many connections to things I’ve done but challenges me to do more. Would totally make a great book study for principals!
Book #9 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown. Think Magic Treehouse for adults! I loved this quirky fun adventure book! A fun magic system and easily remembered characters made this book a fun and fast read!
Book 8 ✅ Compelling, heartbreaking, and hopeful as always, talented author #readthis #summereading #bookgoals #30booksummer
Book #8 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. My second reading of this essential book. Refocusing on 7 Habits is just what I need and may just be the perfect professional learning for my staff next year. I think I’ll reread The Leader in Me too.
Book #7 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! You Win in the Locker Room First: The 7 C's to Build a Winning Team in Business, Sports, and Life by Jon Gordon. Still reading to find a good staff PD book. This one is great for leaders and I’m processing some of the great ideas.
