Tracy's Nordic Light

Hello there, my friends! ☺️This month I'm doing a deep dive into the poetry and life of the late 19th/early 20th-century Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke, and it's been a fabulous time! I'm filming this week, talking about Rilke and much more... so a new video is coming soon!

I look forward to hearing what you have been reading and doing this month! — 🩷 —


— 🩷 —

With LOVE,
Tracy

11 hours ago | [YT] | 25

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hi, Friends! 🙋🏻‍♀️Some FUN post/mail... Under the Oak Tree, volume 3 arrived in our post box! This comic is based on the novel/original story by Suji Kim, adapted by Seomal, with artwork by P. These hardcover editions are wonderful, and the artwork is so beautiful! I'm looking forward to reading more of this love story between Maxi and Riftan, set in a medieval-inspired world with magic! 🤩

What are you reading as we start September? 📚

Happy reading... and happy weekend! ✨

— 🩷 —

With LOVE,
Tracy

1 week ago | [YT] | 23

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hello there, Friends! ☺️Welcome to a new month and, with it, new reading possibilities! Do you have any reading plans for September? 📚

I'm taking a detour from Bloomsbury (although in the same time period, late 19th century/early 20th century) for a mini side project of revisiting and reading a bit of Rainer Maria Rilke. 2026 marks 100 years since his death. I'd been trying to get a few reading selections through library inter-loan for months, and finally I was able to pick up...

Rainer Maria Rilke Selected Poems (Oxford World Classics)
A Year with Rilke (Daily Reading from the Best of Rainer Maria Rilke (translated & edited by Joanna Macy & Anita Barrows)
Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke (translated by M.D. Herter Norton)
A Ringing Glass: The Life of Rainer Maria Rilke by Donald Prater)

I'm looking forward to these and all the new reading in autumn! 📚🍂

Oh, and I will have a tag video going out today... just a bit of fun as we segue into a new month. I'm very much behind on tags... I'm not sure I'll ever get caught up! 🤣

Sadly, I did not get to film a wrap-up for August. If you would like to see the books I read, you can find that on my Substack, where I am now offering audio voice-overs of my essays: tracysnordiclight.substack.com/p/august-reading-no…

Happy reading!

— 🩷 —

With LOVE,
Tracy

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 48

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hi, Friends! How has this week and the reading been for you? I would love to hear all about it!

A video will be coming your way today. I'll be sharing my reading from August, my novel progress, and the start of the autumn semester of my personal curriculum, with more Japanese language and culture studies—this time adding Japanese poetry to the mix! I'm so excited for this new season of reading and study!

I'm also
Happy weekend!
— 🩷 —

With LOVE,
Tracy

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 43

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hi, Friends! Some books and flowers for you today! ☺️

In reading... more Bloomsbury-related books are part of my August reading—this time, with a strong focus on Virginia Woolf. And I just brought home volumes 2 and 3 of the manga series Ao Haru Ride by Io Sakisaka from the library, which I'm loving so much — this tender story is wonderful, and I love the artwork.

Next week, I will have a new video for you. For several reasons, I needed to take a break from filming; hence the delay. So I look forward to sharing more about what I've been reading, autumn plans, and more soon!✨

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, and great bookish adventures!📚

With LOVE,
Tracy 💖

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1 month ago | [YT] | 34

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hello, Friends! 🙋🏻‍♀️How are you all? I hope you had a good weekend. ✨

The super-hot heat of summer seems to be easing here (for the moment, at least), and so it has been nicer being outside and out and about. On Saturday, TJ & I were in a neighbouring town and stopped for a coffee and treat at a café. ☕The café had a beautiful interior: a petrol-blue wall and mirrors on the walls and the ceiling. The carrot cake was delicious and the mocha latte too.

While walking a side street back to our car, we spotted books in the wild! Someone was offering up books for free--a large table full of books, some in boxes on the pavement too. It looked like they were giving away a substantial home library of crime fiction. Fun to see folks sharing their books! 📚

Wishing you a week of happy reading and other joys!

With LOVE,
Tracy 🩷

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1 month ago | [YT] | 48

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hello there, my friends! ✨As we head into the weekend and a new month, I just wanted to share a quick note. I have a video going out tomorrow. Yes, on a Saturday, not today, Friday, as usual. But a little something for you as we close out July.

I won't be filming a formal reading wrap-up for July. If you would like to read about and see the lovely stack of books that I read during the month, I have a July Reading Notes essay up on my Substack. ☺️ In the essay, I also share a bit about how I approach Theme Reading and move between different books and genres throughout a month. You can find all about it here:
tracysnordiclight.substack.com/p/july-reading-note…

I look forward to hearing about your reading highlights from July! 📚

With LOVE,
Tracy 🩷

1 month ago | [YT] | 51

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hello, friends! 🙋🏻‍♀️As always, I hope that this finds you well and that some good reading is lighting up your days!📚

As we soon segue into August, I'm between reading — that time when I'm waiting for some books to arrive through library inter-loan. But I have some books to keep me company in the meantime.

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig is a dark and at times whimsical fantasy romance about a knight cursed to kill anyone he touches and a moth fae who offers him a dangerous bargain. They navigate treachery and forbidden magic, all the while their uneasy alliance blossoms into something deeper. The story weaves themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the power of love to break curses. Having read and greatly enjoyed Gillig's Shepherd King duology last autumn, I was excited to read this book, the first book of a new series. I was waiting for this, and it was worth the wait... I really like this and can't wait to read the next instalment!

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell is historical fiction that reimagines the brief, mysterious and unhappy life of Lucrezia de' Medici, the third wife of Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Suspenseful and richly, deliciously atmospheric, the novel explores Lucrezia’s intelligence, resilience, sensitivity, and the looming threat of her husband. A blend of historical intrigue with a sensitively drawn portrait of a young woman navigating the power plays of others and survival in Renaissance Italy. This was my first time reading Maggie O'Farrell, and I really enjoyed the beautiful, lyrical language she used to craft this story. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Of course, it wouldn't be a month of reading for me without a little manga! I started a new-to-me series. The Flying Witch by Chihiro Ishizuka — this is a heartwarming story about Makie Kuramoto, a young witch who moves to the countryside to live with her cousins and improve her magical skills. The story blends gentle humour, rural charm, and whimsical supernatural elements as Makie navigates everyday life, forging bonds with humans and spirits alike. This is a very cosy, slice-of-life tale about belonging, nature, and the quiet magic found in the ordinary moments of life. Sweet and fun reading!

And then, A Business Proposal (volume 3), a romcom story about Shin Ha-ri, who pretends to be her friend on a blind date...with who turns out to be the CEO of her company, Kang Tae-mu. As their fake relationship deepens, misunderstandings, workplace dynamics, and antics fuel the humour and tension... and the chaos of unexpected love. Another fun read!

I'd love to hear about what you've been reading! 📖

With LOVE,
Tracy 🩷

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1 month ago | [YT] | 39

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hello, dear friends! ☺️Just a quick greeting: this space will be a little quieter than usual in the community Posts for the next two weeks or so. Husband TJ and I have some time off, and we will be taking a few day trips, enjoying a break from work and the weekday pace, and hopefully having some bookish encounters too!

So much is in bloom right now... The hydrangeas in our garden are just coming into bloom. And we've been picking strawberries from our little patch.

This week has been hard as it is the first anniversary of the passing of our sweet kitty Luna, who left us all too soon when we lost her to kidney disease. This photo was among the last few before we had to say goodbye to her. Missing this fur-covered angel every day...

I do have a couple of videos that I will publish during July, so there will be something here! During the summer months, I will be sharing a special series — Summer Reading Salon — where we will explore the reading life more closely, with each video covering a different topic. An introduction video will go out tomorrow. And during the month, I will continue to share a couple of essays at my Substack, if you'd like to join me there: tracysnordiclight.substack.com/

Until soon...

With LOVE,
Tracy 🩷

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2 months ago | [YT] | 44

Tracy's Nordic Light

Hello, there, my friends!🙋🏻‍♀️ As we turn to July soon, I've been enjoying thinking about reading for a new month...

From the library, I just picked up volumes 5 and 6 of the manga series Sakura, Saku by Io Sakisaka. I started this series back in May and continue to enjoy this tender-hearted series about friendship, first love, and personal growth. We follow our heroine, Saku Fujigaya, a shy high school girl inspired by the kindness of a stranger who once helped her through a difficult moment. Determined to thank him, she discovers a connection to her classmate Haruki Sakura, and the two gradually grow closer. Such a sweet story!☺️ The soft, beautiful artwork perfectly captures the tenderness and emotion of youth.

And more continuation... I picked up volume 3 of Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya. In this many-volume series, we follow Tohru Honda, an orphan who, after meeting the mysterious Sohma family, discovers they are cursed to transform into animals of the zodiac when hugged by someone of the opposite sex--hilarity abounds when that happens! 😂 As Tohru navigates their complex lives, she helps them confront their past traumas and break the curse. The story blends humour, heartbreak, and healing, exploring themes of love, family, and self-acceptance. I love the dynamic artwork that pairs so well with the compelling storylines!

So, some heartfelt and light-hearted reads to start July along with my continued Bloomsbury Group reading.

Do you have any reading plans for July?📖

With LOVE,
Tracy 🩷

2 months ago | [YT] | 23