Books I've Read in 2026
An exhaustive list I update regularly
Writing
My thoughts, works, and stories
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the windup | issue 11
January 2026 roundup: literary fiction reviews (Kuang, O'Farrell), grief essays, life updates, and news on upcoming book The Constellation of Forgotten Things
Ways I Am Simplifying My Life in 2026
From the Notebook Rule to slow reading, here's how I'm choosing intentionality over productivity in 2026—plus why I'm reading fewer books
Forever is a Series of Moments
Perhaps we are all but memory in the end. Those flashes streak across the canvas of our minds, the paint cracking with the passage of time until faded past remembrance.
Christmas For Those Who Grieve
Christmas is not always a joyous time for everyone, particularly for those of us who are grieving.
I write this letter for you.
the windup | issue 10
Monthly newsletter featuring book reviews, creative writing updates, and reflections on friendship, grief, and creating in life's margins
Advent, Fog, and Beauty in the Unknown
Personal essay on grief after child loss, unexpected pregnancy, and finding hope in fog-covered mornings. On motherhood, waiting, and resilience.
💬 Town Square | What can you do better than AI? What do you crave that AI can never give you?
Dear Inklings,
First of all, congratulations to the giveaway winner, Nikki L.! Thank you to all my patrons for supporting
Platonic Soulmates: What Happened to Our Friendships?
Many cultural critics argue that the art of friendship is in decline. The United States surgeon general has named loneliness an epidemic. People are lonelier than ever, and they don’t know what to do about it. Why is that?
the windup | issue 09
a lot of books, autumn happiness, another giveaway (scroll to the bottom)!
It Wasn’t Love At First Sight
The common narrative is that when you give birth, you fall in love with your baby at once. In reality, this is a stranger you have to get to know, just like any other person. Sometimes, it’s love at first sight. Other times, it’s not.
💬 Town Square | Is reading really the best way to expand your mind?
Dear Inklings,
First of all, congratulations to our giveaway winners, Sarah Christy, Nisha Mody, and Ruthie Arbeiter! Thank you to
Here. Here. Here.
As I pondered over the madness of spending hours on social media or pursuing an unrequited, unfulfilling friendship, I caught myself thinking more and more, “This is not how I want to spend my life.”
the windup | issue 08
You don't actually know Charlie Kirk
On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a Utah campus. His death triggered the usual cycle of outrage and debate.
“Have you eaten?”
My grandma is dying. In truth, she’s been dying for years now, my months punctuated with hospital scares and
A voice shriveled in my throat
Linda Kay Klein’s Pure talks about the lack of unconditional love touted in white evangelicalism—how that has led to a culture of shame and fear, effects that are long-lasting, sometimes lifelong
My mother’s worn Bible
None of the adults explained death or suffering to us. Neither western Christians (specifically evangelicals) nor East Asians are well equipped to handle grief, let alone walk children through it.
All I could think was, where was God to let a child my age die?
Yes, in spite of everything
An honest reflection on walking away from God, living with uncertainty, and returning to faith 'kicking and screaming.