I was between books, wondering what to read next, and the ChickieNob gently recommended that I finally read my copy of Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls. I was saving it for a rainy day because I love his books and wanted it in front of me (vs. already consumed). But it’s about the summer after high school and growing up and leaving, and she suggested that if I didn’t read it now, it might get harder to read in the spring. And maybe even impossible to read for a while in the future.

It was absolutely the right call.

I started the book, and my heart immediately hurt. But the writing was so good that it was soothing it as it was agitating it. Like a really good cry. A cathartic release.

I’m reading it slowly to savour it, reading other books in the between, but it raised the whole idea of what we save to read, eat, watch, and use in the future because we want it in front of us and not behind. As I was thinking about it, I received a sign from the universe in the form of a newsletter exactly on this theme. She writes:

So when we moved to the US last year, I began actually using everything. Candles, snacks, plates, creams, clothes. Use-over-hoard became the mantra because my time here is short … And I like this—books are getting read because I know for sure I cannot take with me most of them, skin care bottles are actually becoming empty (I’ve never had that happening before expiry), new recipes are being cooked simply for a reason to celebrate on new serve ware, puzzle boxes are being opened and completed, fancy soaps are torn open from their packaging.

I’ll replace this unread (now being read) book with another unread book. But to never read it at all would feel like the saddest story.

I definitely hoard vs. use in the moment. How about you?

Remember months ago when I mentioned that I had to chaperone the ChickieNob during her research slot at the British Museum, and I got to throw on a pair of nitrile gloves and hold the medals, too?

It turned out that the medal we were holding had a whole pregnancy loss backstory.

At the time, I didn’t realize it was the only copy in the world. I thought it was a known copy, and the British Museum had one, and perhaps another historical society had one, but it turned out to be the only copy, and that’s the story.

Anne Boleyn had her court medal made to celebrate the fact that she was pregnant. They were often handed out in court to show the person’s connection to the royal family.

Anne’s medal is a picture of her — I believe the only true, created in her lifetime picture of her — and the words “The Moost Happi Anno 1534.” But she miscarried before they could make the medals beyond this one template. Her most happy year turned into the worst year due to her loss.

And I got to hold the medal after ChickieNob sketched it for her capstone project.

I didn’t realize that story until we got home and were watching an Anne Boleyn documentary. It makes the whole thing — that connection of pregnancy loss over almost 500 years — all the more poignant.

Not sure what #MicroblogMondays is? Read the inaugural post which explains the idea and how you can participate too.

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Life From Scratch is on sale until the end of the month for 99 cents. 99 cents! You cannot get anything for 99 cents. You cannot get a pack of gum for that amount or a cup of coffee. But my publisher is giving you a whole book.

For just 99 cents.

Passing this along in case you want to send someone an ebook.

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Are you also doing #MicroblogMondays? Add your link below. The list will be open until Tuesday morning. Link to the post itself, not your blog URL. (Don’t know what that means? Please read the three rules on this post to understand the difference between a permalink to a post and a blog’s main URL.) Only personal blogs can be added to the list. I will remove any posts that are connected to businesses or are sponsored post.

As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she reads that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better at doing this.

So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.

These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from December.

The Family Game (Catherine Steadman): If you’re in the mood for a thriller, it’s a solid thriller. However, it has all of the unrealistic hallmarks of a thriller, such as people who can rationalize while horrific events unfold around them. What is up with that? If I saw someone killed before me, I wouldn’t calmly realize X, Y, and Z must be true. I would run. So unrealistic, and any sane person wouldn’t have made the characters’ decisions. But a quick read.

The Last Party (Clare Mackintosh): I really like Clare Mackintosh’s books, so I was bummed that her last one involved an airplane. As a nervous flyer, those types of books are a no-go. But this one was wonderful, and I’m so happy to see that she’s writing another mystery with the same main character. I liked spending time with Ffion.

Babel (KF Kuang): It was fascinating, very heavy-handed, and a little unsure of itself in places. I didn’t believe the author knew how the magic worked. But as someone with a translation degree, she captured the work perfectly. It’s a heartbreaking, beautiful book.

Bournville (Jonathan Coe): I ended the year on an excellent note. I ordered the book from the UK because I don’t think we’re getting it in the US. I chose it because the person who writes the Blackwell’s newsletter said: “Whenever I read Jonathan Coe (and I look forward to each new one!) I am always struck by two things; firstly, just how very English his writing is, and secondly, just how enjoyably readable he is. It is too tempting to say that he is my Dairy Milk.” Yes, Jonathan Coe IS my Dairy Milk. And like a Dairy Milk, I devoured this book in a few brief sittings because it was too delicious to put down and savour. I’ll reread it slower after everyone else in the house has gotten a chance to experience it.

What did you read last month?

I probably won’t read Spare but ChickieNob promised to give me the highlights in an oral executive summary. It’s likely that all the main points have already been said in articles or interviews, but I told her to direct me to a few sections. Are you reading it?

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It’s Friday the 13th. I have no clue why I need to say that every time the Roundup coincides with Friday the 13th. As you were.

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Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.

Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

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And now the blogs…

But first, second, helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. To read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “A Baby Is Not a New Year’s Resolution” (Life, Almost)

Okay, now my choices this week.

Movable Type has a post looking back at last year while trying to make this one better. She writes, “This morning over breakfast my father in law said contemplatively, ‘vacations always end, but then so will the school year.’ ‘That’s the thing –’ I suddenly realized: ‘I never felt like last year ever ended.‘ That perfectly sums up 2022.

Lastly, By the Brooke sums up the year, and you’re going to want to steal her outline and do it for yourself — 38 great questions. I love this about lessons learned in 2022: “It has reminded me not to take my own health for granted. It has reminded me that a dog who loves you best is a total mood-booster. It has reminded me that girls’ nights out are great, but girls’ nights in with stretchy pants are even better.”

The roundup to the Roundup: Reading Spare through the ChickieNob. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between January 6 – 13) and not the blog’s main URL. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week? Read the original open thread post here.