What have you been reading this January, 2026? > Likes and Comments

Next week I begin reading Robert Jordan's The Shadow Rising, book four in the Wheel of Time Series.

Last year, I read The Eye of the World and its sequels, books 2 and 3. Jordan's (undeserved) reputation for ponderous description kept me away. I'm glad I finally undertook this quest. Characters are alive, most are likable. And those who aren't - Nynaeve - I like not liking her.

Andrea wrote: "Georgann wrote: "I read The Spellshop I was the cozy fantasy I needed to read!"

Will need to remember "Cozy Fantasy" for next year's BINGO! We ..."

I just finished my library's bingo card for our winter reading program. A couple of categories I liked you could maybe consider for next year are: set in the state in which you live, beach read, classic and one word title. ( We maybe have done these and I just don't remember. )

What would a beach read SF/F book be?

I like the one that takes place where you live, not every one lives in a state but there's usually some equivalent like a province or county.

Classic is a bit fuzzy, but then it works perfectly fine for what you consider classic SF/F

We've done title things before like starts with a certain letter, so a one word title is a good variation on that.

Maybe a beach read would be a fast, light book?

An SF beach read must be Dune... you can't get a bigger beach than a desert, and you can't get a bigger desert than Arakis.😁🤣

Ha ha! Plenty of sand but not much actual beach there! Michelle, I took it that way, too, lightweight and breezy, but then some folks I know would choose dark and scary to read laying in the sunshine so...

For my classic, I looked up a list of "classic sci fi" somebody or other thought up. I ended up choosing City and enjoyed it.

I did think of the fact that not all of us live in a state, but if it gets used, it can be amended.

Anyway, just like our bingo cards, it got me to read something different and out of my comfort zone!

A beach read was traditionally a fast, easy read, but also something that you didn't mind too much if you didn't finish it by the end of your holiday - holiday resort bookstores were full of second-hand thrillers and light romance. From memory, the bulk of these were Mickey Spillane style thrillers, Agatha Christie and Barbara Cartland, although I did occasionally find an SFF gem.