I’ve enjoyed Jessica’s blog for awhile now and I saw she was joining in a bookish blog hop about our 2026 reading! I used to blog hop a lot and really enjoyed linking up with others over a common topic. 😍 I’m joining her at Words & Peace for this reading meme reflecting about your first six months of reading.

Instructions from Emma at Words & Peace:

In 2021, Jo at The Book Jotter started hosting the meme Six in Six.
She stopped blogging in 2025, so I have decided to host it myself.

What is 6 in 6?

The idea is to look back at the books you have read so far in the six months of this year.
Now, I love plays with numbers, so I’m extending this meme:
you can post any time in July, or as early as 6/6, June 6^th.

What do you post?

Choose 6 books in 6 categories.
You can come up with your own category, or choose among the following examples (copied from Jo’s blog):

• Six new authors to me
• Six authors I have read before
• Six authors I am looking forward to reading more of
• Six books I have enjoyed the most
• Six books I was disappointed with
• Six series of books read or started
• Six authors I read last year – but not so far this year
• Six books that took me on extraordinary journeys
• Six books that took me by the hand and led me into the past
• Six books from the past that drew me back there
• Six books from authors I know will never let me down
• Six books I must mention that don’t fit nicely into any category
• Six books I started in the first six months of the year and was still caught up with in July
• Six trips to Europe
• Six blogging events I enjoyed
• Six bookish things I’m looking forward to
• Six Espionage or Historical Novels I enjoyed
• Six Cool Classics
• Six Non-US/Non-British Authors
• Six From the Non-Fiction Shelf
• Six books that didn’t live up to expectations
• Six books that I had one or two problems with but am still glad I tried
• Six books that are related to The Great War or Second World War
• Six bookshops I have visited
• Six books I’ve read in an English translation
• Six books which are better than the film
• Six books which are worse than the film
• Six books that have sport as their major theme
• Six favourite places to read
• Six books read on kindle and then went and bought an actual copy
• Six books I abandoned
• Six classics I have read
• Six books I have read on my Kindle
• Six physical books I have read
• Six book covers I love
• Six book covers that bear no resemblance to the story contained within
• Six books to read to avoid politics
• Six books I have read but not reviewed
• Six books I have read in lockdown
• Six classic mysteries
• Six books about Royalty
• Six pretty book covers
• Six books set in a country other than my own
• Six books that feature a Pandemic
• Six books that are great when self-isolating
• Six books recently added to my wish list
• Six mysteries, thrillers or crime novels NOT by Agatha Christie
• Six books with titles connected to rivers, seas and storms
• Six nature related books
• Six books about Librarians and Libraries
• Six books I really want to buy in the next six months
• Six books that feature a building in the title

My categories I’ve chosen to share about are:

1. Six favorite genres so far
2. Six favorite reads so far in 2026
3. Six favorite Booktube Readathons
4. Six New-to-Me Authors
5. Six Mysteries I loved
6. Six Books I Read from My Shelf

My Six Favorite Genres: (many are a mixture of these below! I’m such an eclectic reader!)

1. Fairytale/Classic Retellings
2. Fantasy
3. Historical Fiction
4. Mystery
5. Young Adult
6. Middle Grade

My Six Favorite Reads so far 2026 (so hard to choose!)

1. The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco (beautiful, heartwarming Middle Grade)
2. The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas (gorgeous, Biblical Historical Fiction)
3. The Will of Many by James Islington (wonderful epic Historical Fantasy)
4. Through Rushing Waters by Catherine Richmond (Heartbreaking Historical Fiction)
5. Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery (beautifully written classic)
6. Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw (classic fantasy story of an underdog!)

My Six Favorite Booktube Readathons So Far this Year: (You can still join these! I don’t follow the monthly prompts, I just fill them in as I go!)

1. Jurassic Reading Challenge
2. Read Your Bookshelf Challenge
3. Journey Through Time Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
4. Passport to Summer Reading
5. Summertime Bingo
6. Summer Book Bingo

Six New-to-Me Authors

1. Carrie Cotten, Christian Fantasy, The Huntress
2. Derin R. Hicks, Middle Grade, Shakespeare Mystery Duo-logy
3. Kate Stradling, Cozy Fantasy, Deathmark
4. Sheri Cobb South, Regency Romance, The Weaver Takes a Wife
5. Lloyd C. Douglas, Biblical Historical Fiction, The Robe
6. Michael Perry, Memoir, Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time

Six Mysteries I have enjoyed :

1. Death in a Strange Country (and Quietly In Their Sleep) by Donna Leon (Commisario Brunetti Series)
2. For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black (cozy mystery)
3. Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills (Romantic Suspense Mystery Thriller)
4. Alex Rider: Scorpio (and Snakehead) by Anthony Horowitz (mystery/spy thriller series)
5. Dead in the Water by Denise Swanson (small town mystery)
6. Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave (and sequel Tower of Five Orders) by Deron R. Hicks (Middle Grade)

Six Books I actually Read from My Own Shelf (Physical/Kindle Shelf):

1. Caddie Woodlawn (reread) by Carol Ryrie Brink (Middle Grade Historical Fiction)
2. Fatal Fudge Swirl by Meri Allen (Cozy Mystery)
3. This is Happiness by Niall Williams (hauntingly beautiful Historical Fiction)
4. The Road Past Altamont by Gabrielle Roy (beautiful book in translation about Mother/Daughter relationships)
5. Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg (charming reimagining of Disney’s Frozen, YA Fantasy)
6. Persuasion (reread) by Jane Austen (Regency)

How has your reading year been so far? 📚📖