Memory Lane with Libby

I ended up taking an unexpected trip down memory lane all thanks to Libby. I was scrolling through my borrowing history and realized just how many books I’ve borrowed over the past six years since I first downloaded the app. What really surprised me, though, was the number of titles I’d completely forgotten about — books that I somehow never logged into Goodreads, and in some cases, don’t even remember borrowing.

I’m sure, in every case, I either started reading them and DNF’d for one reason or another or I never started them at all. It’s funny seeing those forgotten titles sitting in my history, like little reminders of past reading intentions I apparently abandoned.

One surprise in particular was a Sarah Dessen book that I somehow completely skipped over. I have no idea how that happened, especially since Sarah Dessen has been a long-time favorite of mine when it comes to new adult romance, ever since I read Dreamland. Her books were a huge part of my reading routine for years, so realizing there was one floating around that I borrowed and never even cracked open was a huge surprise. I’m planning to go back and give it the attention it didn’t get the first time around.

It’s always interesting to see what past-me was curious about, even if present-me has no intention of reading that book again or getting involved in that hobby again. Some titles sparked the, “I meant to finish that!” kind of reaction, while others had me rolling my eyes at my reading choices, wondering what sort of mood I must’ve been in at the time I picked that out.

Current Reads

I’ve fallen into the habit of letting books linger on my “currently reading” list longer than I’d like, so I chose to pick back up a couple of these books for this upcoming week, starting today. I’ve picked The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen and Trafficked by Sophie Hayes.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen has been sitting quietly on my Libby app for far too long. I honestly can’t believe I let this one slip by, especially considering how much I’ve always loved her writing. Sarah Dessen’s books played a major role in my reading world during my late teen years, and they’ve always had this perfect mix of emotional depth, self-discovery, and a little bit of romance. I’ve hardly started, but I can already feel that familiar pull her stories always seem to have, the kind that’s equal parts comforting and thought-provoking.

Trafficked by Sophie Hayes is a tough but important read. It’s the kind of book that weighs heavy because it’s based on true events, following Sophie’s experience as a victim of human trafficking. Sometimes it’s hard to sit with something so emotionally heavy, but it’s also a reminder of why stories like this matter. And as a fan of true crime, human trafficking has always piqued my interest in a way that I feel like I've never truly been able to express without sounding like a weirdo or a creep or something.

Reading Recommendations

This trip down memory lane has also sparked for me some new reading recs for you all! If you’re looking for something emotionally gripping or dark and unsettling, I’ve got a couple worth adding to your TBR.

One that immediately comes to mind is Dreamland by Sarah Dessen. This was the first book I read by Sarah Dessen, and it left an impression that’s hard to shake even years later. While a lot of her books lean into themes of self-discovery, family, and romance, Dreamland goes deeper into the difficult side of relationships, especially when it comes to toxic and abusive relationships. It’s written with that signature Dessen style — relatable, emotional, and easy to connect with — but the story is heavy, raw, and honest.

Another one I recommend is Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes. Haynes dives deep into the mind of her previously abused main character, exploring trauma and survival in a way that feels disturbingly real. The writing style pulls you into the paranoia and fear the character faces, and you’ll find yourself questioning everyone and everything along the way. I will warn you now: don't expect an extremely climactic ending. The ending is real and raw, just as the emotions and situations in the book are real and raw.

Finds Unrelated to Reading

Small update: I’ve decided to drop the word recent from this section. The truth is, the things I share here aren’t always new or newly discovered. Sometimes they’re just things I’ve stumbled back into, or little thoughts, observations, or finds that feel worth mentioning. From now on, it’s simply Finds Unrelated to Reading, no expiration dates or timeframes attached.

I could listen to nothing while reading or writing, but I love having some kind of background noise, and if you're like me, that background noise cannot be music with lyrics or a TV show. I recommend this app I found called Sleep Sounds. It's only $3.49 per year right now for the premium version, and premium is so worth it. I'd pay more for it if it was more (as long as it didn't go over $10). The sounds on it are the more repetitive type of white noise sounds, like "Ocean," "Fire," "Airplane," but there are so many of them, and they are so unique!

Customizing the provided sounds or creating my own custom sound are my favorite things to do. I've already turned the "Night" sound into sounds of the bayou, and I've created a custom sound I named "Writing Outside the Cafe" that includes people talking, car passing, typing, and faded cafe music in the background.

TV Shows & Movies

Another update: I’ve officially decided to drop the word recent from this section going forward as well, because truly, half the shows and movies I mention here aren’t new releases, and sometimes they’re not even new to me, just something I’ve circled back to or finally got around to watching. From here on out, it’s simply TV Shows & Movies, whether it’s new, old, or something I’ve watched a hundred times.

This week, I want to highlight a show that actually lines up really well with the kinds of books mentioned this week: Disappeared.

Disappeared is a true crime series that focuses on missing persons cases, most of which remain unsolved. The show does an excellent job of walking you through the circumstances leading up to each disappearance, highlighting the heartache of the families involved, and pointing out the strange details that leave you wondering how some of these cases have stayed cold for so long.

If you enjoy the deep-dive storytelling of true crime, especially when it ties into real-world mystery and human psychology, this one is worth adding to your watchlist.

And believe me, the reasons for the disappearances and the circumstances leading up to the missing victims are all unique, just as every criminal case is unique.