Last weekend, I posted a photo on my Instagram page of the ten books I hope to have read before the end of the year. The ‘Ten before the End’ trend is something that I have come across in my Book-tube watching, as it’s a fascinating concept for a couple of reasons. First off, as someone who doesn’t tend to stick to any kind of formalised reading order, preferring to pick up what I’m in the mood for unless I have an event or a book club, there was a part of me that wondered if choosing the ten books that I wanted or needed to prioritise the most would be like giving them the kiss of death and dooming them to be ignored.
But the second thing that gave me pause about posting this was seeing how busy and how stressed a lot of people around me are. Was posting a picture of the ten books I hoped to get to before December 31st, when some people might not have managed to read ten books all year, be adding to the noise? Productivity guilt seems to be ruining a lot of people’s ability to just sit down and enjoy a good book. Perhaps that’s what is slowing a lot of us down, more than our smartphones. Taking an hour to settle in with a good book when you know that the washing isn’t done, there’s a weird smell coming from the sink and the shower screens look like they’ve had a visit from Jack Frost is not the most relaxing experience. Believe me, I know.
Yesterday I was sitting down to write an article for a work newsletter about how your local library can support you if your New Year’s Resolution is about reading more, and I found myself researching the health benefits of reading - particularly of reading fiction. I came across this list from the Centre for Adult Education in Victoria, which collates a bunch of studies into a handy list. One of the points, about how reading can help you sleep better, said “Helping you relax and unwind before sleep can make a difference in being able to push aside anxious thoughts and allow your consciousness to drift off.”
Now, you might be thinking that this is really obvious, and I think you’d be right there. But reading that, it was the first time that I had ever seen it articulated that this was why reading before going to sleep was so much an ingrained part of my routine, and why the nights lately when I have been too busy, or had something on in the evening which did not allow me enough time to settle in with a book before I turned out the light, were the nights where I felt as if I lay there wide awake for hours before I could drift off. (The list does also make some claims about literary fiction being a better measure for building empathy than genre fiction or non fiction, but I think perhaps that’s an oversimplification and it would really depend on the reader and the book.)
I’m going to be a bit more proactive in making sure that I get ready for bed at least 30 minutes before I usually turn my lights out in the coming month, and see how much of a difference this makes in helping me allay some of the tension of the silly season.
What about you? Do you read before bed? Do you read IN bed? There’s a word for that. It’s LIBROCUBICULARIST.
I think I may have officially given up hope of getting my TBR number as low as I had originally planned at the beginning of 2025. There are a few reasons why my book acquiring has completely blown out.
As I mentioned in a previous update, I am worried about the state of Australian publishing and want to support as many Australian writers as possible.
The support of booksellers in WA has been an absolute highlight of my publishing experience for The Distance Between Dreams. Booksellers at shops like PaperHouse books in Applecross (which was until very recently called Typeface, and has had a stunning refurbishment), Dymocks Subiaco, Boundless Books in Leederville, Beaufort Street Books and Planet Books in Mount Lawley, Rabble Books in Maylands and New Edition in Fremantle (among so many others) has meant the world to me. But the support of booksellers can only continue if readers support them back. Yes, you can buy your books a lot cheaper at Big W or from the Everything Store that will remain nameless. But the owners of those places will never give up their Saturday afternoon or Thursday evening to sell books at your library event where they might only sell four copies. They will never make you a giant cardboard lighthouse display to put in their window (thank you Tim from Dymocks Subiaco again for that one). They will most likely never hand pick your book when a customer asks for a recommendation. That little bit extra you pay is for the care, and the genuine passion booksellers bring to selling books. To them, books are more than just units to shift. Therefore, I go to bookshops often, and when I go, I usually buy.
Second hand books became a bit of an obsession for me this year too. I have become fascinated by carefully curated secondhand shops, and by searching for hard to find, older editions of books. There’s something about a dusty old paperback, and about the inscriptions you sometimes find in the front of them.
Luckily, I am now co-owner of a travelling Street Library so getting rid of some of the books I have brought into my house will be easier than ever… The question is, will I be able to get my TBR down to a number low enough that I feel comfortable disclosing it on the internet…
Stay tuned, as in next month’s update I will be telling you all about the very strict, no loopholes TBR game I have devised for myself in 2026m including all the rules for if you want to play along. There are even some printable assets I have made if you’re very keen indeed. Take a guess in the comments, or have a go at suggesting me some book buying rules for 2026 if you’re feeling mischievious.
Last month, I had made it to 95 things in my quest to declutter 100 things from around my house. I have now made it to 98. The end is in sight. But it’s getting harder.
If you think having decluttered 98 things means I am now a minimalist, you would be mistaken. You only have to read my TBR update above to know that this is definitely not true. (Though it honestly baffles me that people can live without books in their house at all. Really, you have NO favourite books? Not even from your childhood?) 98 things, or bags of things in some cases, have left my house, but new things have definitely been arriving. I am a stress shopper, as I disclosed last month, and the idea of No Buy November definitely did not turn into a practise.
But I do feel like I am getting better at decluttering. I am better at recognising what I don’t need, what doesn’t serve my lifestyle or my goals, and what needs to go. I am learning ways to get rid of some of the trickier things so that I am not keeping them just because I can’t be bothered working out how to move them on. I am getting so good at decluttering now that I am having to sometimes control myself when it comes to offering (unsolicited) advice to others who talk about how their stuff is overwhelming them or how they are struggling to keep their home tidy. I don’t always succeed. I’m a bit opinionated but I’m working on it.
I think I may even continue doing this challenge next year, as it’s been a useful one.
One huge win clutter wise this month was having to clear out my entire desk in order to make space for my Grandpa’s roll top. It’s smaller, but actually had more drawer storage in the end once I coupled it with a somewhat matching drawer unit. Reducing what gets kept on the surface of the desk is probably my next goal, and working around the fact that roll tops were not designed with ergonomic laptop risers in mind has been a bit of a challenge, but I am happy working here, and happy to work on those things.
No Project Backlist updates again this month (I mean, it really is more of a 2026 project) but I thought some of you might be interested in knowing what books I might suggest for your Christmas gifting.
Obviously, I think this one has something for everyone…
For the person in your life who loves action movies, getting outdoors and excitement, I recommend Michael Trant’s Gabe Ahern series, starting with Wild Dogs. There are three books in the series so far, so depending on how much you like this person, you might even want to get all three.
For the person in your life who is a bit of a jokester, and who likes puzzles, why not try a Benjamin Stevenson novel? Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone definitely lifted me out of a reading slump earlier this year. If they plan to watch the new Rian Johnson movie, this is for them.
If they don’t read fiction (weird, but some people don’t), there is of course, The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein, but if that is a bit too easy of a suggestion, why not try The Butterfly Thief by Walter Marsh - the story of a real museum heist that happened in Australia in the 1940s.
For the person in your life who is a bit of a romantic, but who also loves learning about history, I recommend Stefanie Koens’ Daughters of Batavia. Pair this one with a trip to the Shipwreck Gallery in Fremantle, or maybe a ticket to see the new Titanic experience exhibition that’s coming to Perth shortly?
For the person in your life who prefers their romantic encounters a little less demure, there’s always the latest novel by Katherine Center, The Love Haters, which is like a rom com in book form featuring a healthy dose of self esteem and a big friendly dog. Her previous book, The Rom-Commers would also tick some of these boxes, minus the dog.
For the young reader in your life, Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series is a read that you’ll enjoy reading with them, but if they’ve already read that, Stuart Wilson’s The 113th Assistant Librarian is very fun indeed.
And for the very young reader in your life, two of my favourite picture books this year are The Bookshop on Lemon Tree Lane by Mike Lucas and Sofya Karmazina and The Little Street Library by Amy Adeney and Erin McLean.
Hope these help get you started, and I hope the end of the year is kind to you. Don’t forget to find yourself 30 minutes to read before bed tonight.
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