Bookmarked 26 Week 26: Summer Reading, Challenges and Side Quests

How was your week? What are you currently reading? Here’s a look at what I read last week and interesting links I bookmarked.

What I Read

I was away for work in Minneapolis last week, and didn’t get as much reading done mostly because I started my self-study of Spanish more earnestly. But, I did finsih the audiobook of Molka, Monika Kim and it had me shook! The author introduction at the beginning sets the tone for pretty much how disgusted you’re going to be the entire book.

“Molka” is a Korean term for hidden or miniature spy cameras secretly and illegally installed, often in order to capture voyeuristic images and videos. It’s become a pervasive problem in that culture (and probably the World) and there are several scandals and dark web sites displaying the videos. In the book, we get to see this happening through the eyes of a major creepy Molka voyeur who is completely delulu in many ways – but we also get to witness a main character who is delulu in another way, as she gets love bombed, becomes the victim of a Molka situation by her “boyfriend” and she becomes obsessed with him despite all he’s done. The author does a good job really immersing us in the story … but I wish there was less back/ side story, and more … gory / revenge type -ish. It’s almost like it was over too quick after all the set up. But this is a book that won’t leave my brain anytime soon – for many reasons.

Currently Reading

I’m in the middle of Honey, Imani Thompson, a debut novel giving me “My Sister the Serial Killer” vibes. It’s about a Yrsa, a PhD grad student who accidentally on-purpose kills the professor her best friend is having an affair with. She discovers that she has an appetite for murder.

Bookmarked

⮕ From LitHub, they compiled 25 summer reading lists, which recommended a total of 419 individual books. 60 books were mentioned 3 or more times, so here’s The Ultimate Summer 2026 Reading List. Spolier alert: Land by Maggie O’Farrell, Whistler by Ann Patchett and Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead, had the most mentions.

⮕ I wish I could make a list like The 15 best books I’ve ever read … but I would never be able to narrow it down. But Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus, would also be on my very, very long list … if I ever made one (and it did make my Favorite Books Read in 2025)

⮕ What Type of Audiobook Listener are You? … I’m the “commuter” – mostly listen during travels … “What she needs? A little feel-good while getting cut off in traffic.”

⮕ Book retreats are getting more popular these days, but the ones I HIGHLY recommend are by #BookofCinz. She hosts a few throughout the year in different Caribbean islands. The remaining 2 will be October 2026 in Dominica. I am saving my coins for Jamaica in 2027 which will most likely coincide with Calabash Literary Festival – it will NOT MISS ME.

⮕ The National Book Foundation’s Summer Reading Adventure has a series of fun challenges. Complete all of the activities to be entered to win the grand prize trip including airfare, hotel, and two tickets to the 77th National Book Awards Ceremony in NYC in November.

⮕ @perceivegrace reading journal is #goals

⮕ These lessons for readers that came from reading a productivity book is so on point, especially if for those of us who write about reading, especially … “choose what NOT to read.”

⮕ Off the books … I saved Hyphenated by Hitha’s Swipe File: my AI prompt library to read through in detail about setting up a simple usable AI system. One way I’ve used AI lately is using Gemini in my very beginner Spanish speaking practice. I ask “my phone” to have a 5 minute conversation with me on a topic.

⮕ Also a bit off the books … I’m participating in 75 Fluent Summer semester to stay accountable with my Spanish learning journey. It’s a challenge based on “75 hard”. If you’re interested in sort of “gamifying” your summer, here’s some ideas in -> How to Have a 90s Analog Summer or modify this June personal curriculum to make yours for the summer. Plus here are some #sidequests inspo.

That’s it from me. Cheers to the week ahead!