Reading Recap - March 2025

March was busy for us with birthdays for both our sons', their big joint birthday party for grand & godparents, a family wedding, the culmination of my months of work on our school's dinner/auction committee (actually having the dinner/auction), and leaving for a trip.  Just a lot going on and my reading definitely reflected that, not as much time to read as I would have liked.  Trying to soak up a little more calm in April before MAY (although April has already brought another family wedding and Easter soon).  

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy!    

Back After This by Linda Holmes
I have liked all 3 of Linda Holmes' books, including this one.  It's about making podcasts which was fun to get a bit of the behind of the scenes of, even a fake one.  Cecily is asked to do a dating podcast where she's set up on 20 blind dates by this influencer and then give her honest things.  Some things about the whole influencer culture in there too.  It had some real romance, outside of the 20 dates, and was enjoyable to pick-up.  3.25 Stars

Gentle: Rest More, Stress Less, and Live the Life You Actually Want by Courtney Carver
I did not find as much to appreciate in here as I did in Courtney Carver's book, The 333 Project but it was still mostly a good read about being gentle on yourself and your expectations for yourself and your life.  Most people could probably do with some stress reducing and appreciated some of what she said while I was reading it but remember none of it a month later. 3 Stars

Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst
This had been on my TBR for awhile, it mostly didn't get cut because it was under 300 pages (shorter books are less likely to get cut).  A woman moves to France somewhat in disgrace from her NYC hotel job (she didn't do anything wrong but was affiliated with someone who did) and gets a job completely renovating a hotel in a small French town with a motley crew of helpers.  She's older, in her 50s at least, maybe early 60s and even though I am still firmly in my early 40s, it was nice reading about someone older than 30 restarting her life in a way and making a change.  It was enjoyable but not something I rushed to pickup each time. 3.25 Stars

Adrift: The Curious Tale of the Lego Lost at Sea by Tracey Williams
This is a book that I requested that the library purchase which they finally did.  It's mostly about a cargo boat that capsized off the coast of England in the 90s (I think) and among the items on board were many many pieces for Lego sets, largely ocean themed.  They were headed from Europe to the US where they would be put into sets.  These pieces still continue to wash up on the shores of mostly England but also other places.  It's about the tragedy of waste in the ocean but also about the magic people would feel when they found the washed up pieces, how they are still being found (although not as much), the science of which pieces were more likely to be found, the damage they sustained from years or decades of floating, and about ocean litter in general.  It was a fairly quick read but very interesting.  4.25 Stars

We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
I specifically picked this to read around St. Patrick's Day, solely because of the clovers on the cover.  Turns out that was good picking because it was about an Irish-American family in the bar business and their lost sheep of sorts daughter who comes back home after a time in LA.  There's some romance but mostly a family story, very much in the vein of Marrying the Ketchups.  I enjoyed it. 3.5 Stars

The Art of Danish Living: How the World's Happiest People Find Joy at Work by Meik Wiking
I am still a bit perplexed by this title because before the subtitle there is no hint about this being about work.  And it seemed like it should be from a series about books, each titled "The Art of Danish Living" and then about different aspects of life.  Or called the "Art of Danish Working".  I don't know, the title doesn't make sense to me.  The book was fine.  I've not worked full time in a dozen years (almost to the day!) and so I'm not really working to change my work up to be more satisfying or more Danish.  But it was still interesting in just a anthropologist way.  3.5 Stars

The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allain
This is regency set which isn't a time period I am super interested in, I never watched Bridgerton, which seems to be where that interest started for many.  But I was mainly drawn to this because a main character is named Diana AND it was under 300 pages.  The "ladies" in the title are all women who, somehow, have some money which wasn't super common in this time, mainly because they had rich husband who died.  The rules they are rewriting pertain to how they are supposed to behave (such as at a ball if you refuse one man's invitation to dance you'd have to refuse all the following ones, you couldn't say no to just one gentlemen) and more taking matters into their own hands.  It was entertaining enough but also glad it wasn't much longer.  3 Stars

When Doing it All is Undoing You: Meeting God in Your Unmet Expectations by Alyssa Joy Bethke
There were parts of this I could relate to more than others but I've read many books by Alyssa Bethke and always appreciate her take.  Probably a book that would be best read slowly, over a week or two instead of trying to rush through for a library due date.  3.75 Stars

Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do by Eve Rodsky
This is a book I had on my list for quite awhile but was waiting to read until Matt was out of school since there wasn't much household work we could redistribute while he was in school.  So I finally got to it and I certainly had some issues with her plan (she'd talk about how you might be in charge of paying bills but don't worry about making sure there are stamps to mail those bills because that falls to someone else!  As if there were 80+ people in a household to split tasks between instead of just a couple) but I appreciated the overall idea.  I would have liked more about how to evenly split when one parent mostly stays home and one parent works full time other than "figure out something that feels fair to both".  It certainly sparked some discussions with Matt and I certainly felt less alone in some of my feelings after reading it.  But this is probably more applicable to households where both parents work full or nearly full-time. 3.5 Stars

Read with Luke or Sam
Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan
The second book in the Sarah, Plain and Tall series.  I have fond memories of reading these as a kid but didn't remember how short they were until I reread them with the boys (also fond memories of the tv movie which I should try to find).  Both boys have gotten more into these books than I expected and they are so well written, telling about how hard life could be on the plains.  Educational about that time in history but also engaging.  I think I got through the 4th book with Luke, want to finish all 5 with Sam. 4 Stars

The Worried Wombat by Amelia Cobb
We will never finish the Zoe Rescue Zoo books, or at least it feels that way, since we have to buy them since the library won't and they also won't do an interlibrary loan for them.  We've been reading these on and off for a year and a half and Sam still wants to give every single one 5 stars.  We've read around 25 of them at this point.  3.5 Stars

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli 
Our 3rd homeschool lit book with Luke (6th grade).  He did not like this one.  I thought we could breeze through it because it's relatively short number of pages BUT there is A LOT of text on each page and the old English way some characters spoke slowed us down.  I think there is definitely some good lessons here and it was a nice introduction to the medieval time period but the language made it harder, as accurate as it might have been. (I apparently read this in homeschool too but I remembered nearly nothing about it).  3.5 Stars

What have YOU been reading lately?

Reading Recap - February 2025

I was surprised with how much reading I got in during February, given it's a shorter month.  We got into a bit more a homeschool rhythm which certainly helped.  Also, I read a lot of places that weren't home, as seen here... I've learned I need to squeeze it in where and when I can!

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy!   

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar
Dual time-lines nearly 100 years apart - 1924 and 2023, a clothing archivist finds a mysterious label over another label in a garment which leads her to figure out who this hidden designer was.  Flashback to 1924, during the prohibition where Zora Lily wanted to design clothes but it wasn't an easy job for a woman just to take up.  Her family also needed her to help provide which designing fun clothes didn't quite do.  I rooted for Zora and really enjoyed the time period and setting.  I wouldn't want to have lived then but it was fun to read about! 3.75 Stars

Happy to Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser by Amy Wilson
I rated this 4 stars on Goodreads but barely remember what it's about a month later, other than what I can deduce from the title.  I know there were some essays that I really related to; I've written "happy to help" in more texts and e-mails than I could count.  Overall was rather relatable! 3.5 Stars

Falling in Love at the Movies: Rom-Coms from the Screwball Era to Today by Esther Zuckerman
I purposely picked this to read in February, seemed like the perfect month for it. It was quite enjoyable, reminding me about many movies I have enjoyed as well as many more I think I'd like to see.  Going back in the history of rom-coms a bit, from the silent age and screwball comedies of the 1960s.  I wished it had a list of all the mentioned movies, divided into different categories would be even better but I should have just taken notes while reading it.  3.75 Stars

Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn
I've read all of Robin Jones Gunn books for adults and she was hugely influential on my teen years.  This was similar to her Sisterchicks series from about 20 years ago, with 2 women traveling on some wonderful adventure together.  This was to Africa and I really wish someone would give me an all expenses paid trip (to anywhere) with 1st class flights...I enjoyed the sisterhood, the travel, all of that.  There was a weird wrinkle of fiction and reality in her with characters from her Christy Miller series (and off shoots) that I wrote A LOT about on Goodreads but I mostly enjoyed this otherwise.  I'll continue to read the series (let's be honest...I'll read almost everything she writes at this point).  3.5 Stars

Grace Grows by Shelle Sumners
This was about my 8th reread of this book and the one I picked to read on Valentine's Day (including at the doctor's office while both my boys had cleanings).  It was quite enjoyable, again, even as I know the story so well. 4.25 Stars

How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days by Kari Leibowitz
I read this about mid-February and that was perfect timing when it was still pretty cold and rather gloomy outside.  That's about when it starts to feel like spring will never come...and then by early March it usually does.  This was a bit scholarly of a read at times but it also really made me think about how to make the best of a bad situation, how so much of it is in your head, and the crazy ways the Scandinavian countries deal with winters ever darker and colder than ours.  3.75 Stars

Heartbreak is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music by Rob Sheffield
I would not call myself a Swiftie but I do have quite a bit of Taylor Swift on my phone and I did watch the Eras Tour movie.  It was short, under 200 pages I think, but an enjoyable read.  I didn't know the context for a lot of her earlier songs so that was just interesting to read about, helped some of them make more sense.  3.5 Stars

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
I have really enjoyed Fiona Davis' books taking place in various NYC landmarks, I have always learned something interesting about a building I have usually seen.  This one was mostly about The Met, where I've only sat on the stairs (this was in 2010, Gossip Girl time) but would like to visit someday.  Mostly about the Egyptian collection, set in the 1970s AND flashing back to the 1930s, when the world was still fascinated with King Tut.  It was really interesting and engaging.  One of the strangest things was that I saw this story the day after I finished the book, new developments on the tomb of the Pharaoh that served as the real life inspiration for a fictional one in the book, who I had just read about in the author's note at the end.  That gave the news some added relevance for me!  But also enjoyed the book before that.  4 Stars

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard
I have not seen any Hallmark movies (we do not have that channel/streamer) but I know enough about them to know that this was very much a take on what if you fell into an alternate world where that Hallmark movie world was real, like seasons only lasted a week or something and everyone was always in town square which was decorated perfectly for the season.  Actually made me think a lot about Hart of Dixie too.  But this woman ended up in a weird world and she needs to figure out how to get back to her "real world" but also seems to be some sort of quest to do.  Romance but not heavy romance, more on finding herself and all that.  A little strange but a strange sort of charming? 3.25 Stars

Better Together: Strength Your Family, Simplify Your Homeschool, and Savor the Subjects That Matter Most by Pam Barnhill
I picked this book up from the small homeschool section (found by dewey decimal numbers) at our library branch, after starting homeschooling in January.  I didn't really know what it was about other than homeschool but was pleasantly surprised by it.  It's all based around doing "morning time" nearly first thing in the homeschool day and packing that part of the day with things most meaningful that you want your kids to get, besides learning math facts and such.  That is not a practice we have picked up but I still found the book very empowering in a "you can do this and make it your own" and "you're the best teacher for your kid" way.  It was very helpful for that as we find our way.  And I nearly immediately ordered 3 books she mentioned to use as curriculum and 2 of them just arrived and are still sitting on my desk besides me.  Anyways, not for it's main purpose but I still found this very useful.  4 Stars

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms
A woman whose life is falling apart realize that the annulment from her Vegas wedding a decade earlier never went through so she is still married and needs to track down the guy to get this things settled.  She's an artist and things aren't going great for her personally so she takes off, stumbled into the small town where her husband lives, loves the town, makes some friends, finds her art again.  A weird happening at the end with her BFF from home where the friend says she did a bunch of crap to just make the protagonist jealous and then everything is automatically forgiven which I found to be a very strange action and just a weird way to resolve that story line. But I liked the rest of it. 3.25 Stars

Read with my boys
(My 11 year old & I are working on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
I found out when I read this with my 6 year old that I read it over nearly the exact same days 4 years earlier with my older son, finishing on Valentine's Day both times!  My younger son said he likes James and the Giant Peach better but he was especially engaged in the early part of waiting to see if Charlie would get a ticket.  I really enjoyed this book as a kid, read it many times, and it was fun to share with both my boys.  It's even weirder than I remembered.  3.5 Stars

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Read this with my (at the time) 6 year old and he enjoyed it more than I expected which I'm pretty sure I said about when I read it to my older son ~4 years ago.  I have very clear memories of this book although maybe that was more the made for TV movie and the book is definitely shorter than I remembered but she manages to say a lot with a little. 4 Stars

Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
This was our second homeschool book and perfect for reading through February.  I had read the first two in the series, starting with Hatchet to my (older) son a few years ago but this one we read together and he really liked it, even asked to do it nearly first thing many homeschool mornings (that is NOT how he feels about our current book).  It was engaging for him and a good reading level.  3.5 Stars

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
Another book I didn't realize how short it was until I reread it, with both my boys now.  My then 6 year old wanted to believe that the freckle juice potion wouldn't work but he's also young enough that he just wasn't sure and it was very cute watching him debate what was going to happen.  3.75 Stars

What have YOU been reading lately?

Reading Recap - January 2025

Decent reading month although I just wasn't finding as much time as I would have liked to read at the start of the month.  Embarking on homeschool probably had a lot to do with that.  Big shake-ups to our routine!  But we've figured it out a bit now and things are going smoother just in every aspect, but for the purposes of this post, especially for my reading!  Not much blogging happening (it'll probably take me 3 tries to get this post finished) but some things just had to be cut to make homeschooling happen for now!

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy!  

What I've been reading:

 

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
This is often the last book I finish every year but Christmas break just didn't have the reading time I hoped it would (December was crazy) and so it was the first book I finished in January.  I love it, I've read it around 10 times now and it's glittery New Years Eve setting of New York City during prohibition just make it the perfect late December (or early January) read for me, despite that a large chunk of the book also takes place in summer.  (I generally feel that summer set books can only be read in summer or in the dead of winter when I need hopes of summer to get me through!).  4.75 Stars

The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan
I was very much interested in this because the cover looked and it sounded like The Holiday which I know is bit a ridiculous movie but I enjoy watching it every December.  This book really wasn't much like that, for starters, it wasn't really a fun read and it was about 100 pages too long.  But there was a good twist in there I did not see coming at all so that's something. 2.75 Stars

Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
A cozy-ish Christmas-ish set book that wasn't THAT much snowed in, maybe just 1/3 of it (I thought it would be more).  I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Holiday Romance, the book that preceded this one and I read this in January when maybe it would have been more cozy to read in December.  But a worthwhile read if you enjoyed the first one.  3.5 Stars

Subpar Planet: The World's Most Celebrated Landmarks and Their Most Disappointed Visitors by Amber Share
I read her Subpar Parks a few years ago and enjoyed it, having visited a good number of National Parks in my life.  This was world-wide destinations, some of which I had heard of, a few I had been to, and many I had never heard of.  Still astonishing that people can find nothing nice about beautiful places and it made me want to travel the world more, not just the US. 3.25 Stars

The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson
Middle grade book about a Native American pre-teen/teen living in Michigan about 100 years ago, who is forced to abandon some of the ways of her heritage when her mother remarries a man who is not a Native American.  Grappling with figuring out who she is and where she fits in.  Not a time or situation I was much familiar with so it was interesting.  And based on the author's ancestors.  3.25 Stars

The Maui Effect by Sara Ackerman
I've read all of Sara Ackerman's books and this was a departure from her earlier historical fiction novels although still set mainly in Hawaii like the others.  All about big wave surfing which sounds even more dangerous reading about it than I had previously thought.  Mostly in Hawaii but some California and Portugal too.  Also about preserving some native land and nature that makes Hawaii what it is.  Liked it.  Cover is pretty too. 3.75 Stars

Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins
I have thought more about this book than I have about nearly any other book I've read in the last year.  A fascinating way of thinking about spending all your money before you die.  Which of course is very hard because nobody knows when they will die.  The only things you can leave loved ones with are money (or things worth money) and memories so you might as well pack in the memories with them while you can.  And the average age to inherit money is 60 which is, hopefully, when people have already set themselves up for retirement.  Money could be more useful to children/grandchild when they are young, old enough to be responsible (maybe post-25) but young enough where they aren't fully financially stable themselves (maybe 35?).  So gift your children/grandchildren money at younger ages as you are able to help them out.  It would probably benefit them more than getting it when you die.  Again, it gets a bit complicated with not knowing how long you'll live or what health complications you might have BUT...I am very intrigued by the whole idea of it.  It's definitely driven some conversations between Matt & I about how we want to handle our finances.  4 Stars

The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White
I have read all the books that these three authors have co-wrote.  I LOVED the first one (Forgotten Room) and have been so-so on the rest.  This was definitely the worst of the bunch.  Felt very indulgent with the plot being about 3 co-writers going away to write a book together but then turned into a murder mystery.  It felt disjointed in writing styles AND it had a 4th wall breaking of sorts.  First they mentioned a character from some of their previous novels as if she is a real person.  Great, love connecting novels with cross-over characters.  BUT THEN they also called out one of the authors by name.  As is "you got that from Beatriz Williams' website".  I do not like when fiction authors mention themselves AND how can both Beatriz Williams AND a character she made-up be real in the same book??  It was VERY distracting from a book I was already not really enjoying.  1.75 Stars

The National Geographic Bucket List Family Travel: Share the World with Your Kids on 50 Adventures of a Lifetime by Jessica Gee
This book has beautiful pictures and a lot of "bucket list" like trips.  Like that require chartering private planes or a private yacht.  Or flying to Australia for weeks on end.  Her intentions were good but she also shared at the beginning that her husband sold an app for multi-millions of dollars, thus funding their trips AND buying a house in Hawaii (not something in the budget for most of us).  And they became travel influencers so they got many stays/flights/experiences for free.  Which, again, isn't an option for most of us (without putting a lot of time and money into becoming an influencer).  I didn't look up any of their recommended accommodations but feel pretty confident that saying even their "budget" options are out of my price range.  So pretty pictures but take it for what it is.  If you don't have an unlimited budget maybe a couple of these are possible in a lifetime but not all 50.  2.5 Stars

Read with Luke or Sam
The Popper Penguin Rescue by Eliot Schrefer
A follow-up to Mr Poppers Penguins written by the grandson of the original author? Or great grand nephew??  Some relation.  The first book makes no sense but it was written so long ago that you just kinda accept it as "things were different then".  But this book takes place in present day and it still required a decent bit of imagination stretching.  These kids dropped out of school for months to travel nearly to both poles and nobody seemed to care? And they didn't seem to have nearly enough supplies packed for a multi-month trip.  Or a big enough boat.  You don't need to read this even if you enjoyed the first. 2.5 Stars

The Busy Beaver by Sophy Williams
Yet another of the Zoe Rescue Zoo books that I've been reading to Sam over the last 18 months.  The beaver wasn't much of a main character in this one but otherwise pretty much what I expect from Zoe. 3.5 Stars

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Luke and I FINALLY finished this, took 7 months.  One of my favorites in the series (but I could say that about a lot of them) and it was so fun to share with him.  We're trying to get through Half-Blood Prince in less time.  Maybe 3 months??? 4.5 Stars

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
This was the first book Luke & I read for homeschool.  I picked it because it's one I never read in childhood and had been meaning to for awhile.  Plus, I had resources to go along with it for a homeschool unit.  Luke knows a bit about World War II, the Nazis, etc so this wasn't all new to him which helped.  It was a good book to read together and discuss.  4 Stars

Reading Recap - November & December 2024

December got to be a crazy month for me so this is a massive November AND December reading recap where I will attempt to write about the THIRTY-TWO books I finished across those two months. Twelve of these are books I have read in previous, recent, Decembers.  Another 3 were just rereads from within the last 5ish years.  There is a good bit of Christmas and a fair number of short stories or quick read to hit my reading goal for the year.  

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th! 

One other book post lately: 

 {10} Favorite Grown-Up Reads of 2024

Now everything I've been reading:

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
This is the Christmas set book I picked to kick off my holiday season (November - back to school after Christmas).  It was a fun friends to lovers where casual acquaintances share the same flight from Chicago to Ireland around Christmas every year.  Unintentionally at first but then very much intentionally.  It was charming and fun.  3.75 Stars

Falling Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
This is a follow-up to Running Out of Time which I read 20ish years ago after my Mom talked about reading it with her 5th grade class.  In the first book a family in unknowingly living in the past on purpose, as residents of a historical village where current day people can observe what life was like "back then" (sometime in the 1800s).  In this book they seem to be living in the future, where everything is automated, there is no crime, no war, no pollution...we've fixed everything!  BUT...maybe we haven't.  Not quite as good but interesting going the other way in the world.  3.5 stars

This is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival by Bishop Robert E. Barron
I had had this half finished for 8 months or something and was finally motivated to get it done after finishing 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory a few weeks earlier.  This one was a little deeper than that one so I took it bits at a time but still a worthwhile, Catholic, read.  4 Stars

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay
The second Irish set book on this list!  A librarian moves to a small Irish town to take a sabbatical from her library job and try her hand at assisting her favorite author which also comes with a side gig of helping in a local bookstore.  The location sounds pretty dreamy but the jobs aren't quite what she was expecting and neither is the author.  Or her prickly son.  It was sweet and moving.  3.5 Stars

Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
This was a reread for book club (although I'm not sure anyone else has read it).  I read this years ago and really enjoyed it.  Exactly the kind of nonfiction I like to read - informative but captivating, gives me little ways to improve my own life.  4.5 Stars

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter
Romance featuring memory loss in a young woman.  She's about to get engaged when she falls, hits her head, and wakes up with no fond memories of her beloved.  Then he has to get her to fall in love with him again which is a bit hard because they had a rough start the first time around.  Set in a charming New Hampshire resort town which sounded like a lovely place to visit.  3.25 Stars

The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
A short novel following Molly the Maid, working at the hotel around Christmastime.  An enjoyable enough world to pop into every so often where there is a new book.  Charming little novella.  3.75 Stars

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
One of my favorite reads of last year!  I liked this more than the last book by this author (The Blonde Identity) and the Christmas setting didn't help.  Two writers are invited to a remote estate of their favorite mystery writer to celebrate Christmas.  They don't know why they are included with the family but go along...and then the famous writer disappears and the two authors team up to solve it.  It was so fun (despite the possibility of murder??) and also festive.  Quite enjoyed it. 4 Stars

All I Want is You by Falon Ballard
ANOTHER "two writers come together" story, the third on this list??  This was not intentional.  A woman who writes "happily ever after" stories ends up being snowed in at a hotel with not enough rooms with a male writer who writes "not happily ever after" stories.  They butt heads on whose approach is better (he wins more awards).  They are stuck for multiple days at this hotel and find out their professional (and personal) goals aren't so far off.  It was fun and festive.  3.5 Stars

Natural Selection by Elin Hilderbrand
Short story that I activated a Kindle Unlimited trial just to read.  It was set mostly on a boat and was a short story so by nature there wasn't much there.  But I could tell it was Elin Hilderbrand just in that short story.  Enjoyable enough for free!  3.5 Stars

When We Were Friends by Jane Green
Short story from my brief trial of Kindle Unlimited.  About divorce and one of those instant best friends where you suddenly have everything in common but then the friendship is strong but short lived.  2.5 Stars

Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness by Meg Hunter-Kilmer
This was one of my favorite reads of 2024.  I hadn't heard of 74 of these saints before reading this and learned about a lot of super interesting people.  Some of these saints lived QUITE a life.  Just really interesting and inspirational.  4.75 Stars

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren
Another short story from Kindle Unlimited, mostly told over e-mail which made it extra fast to read.  An e-mail mistake leads to a many year friendship, mostly just on Valentine's Day.  Charming and cute. 3.5 Stars

Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
This was set around a group of unlikely people coming together to put on A Christmas Carol at a British theater.  It was longer than it needed to be and wandered around a bit to get to the point.  Cranky people who turn less cranky.  People fall in love.  People help each other.  2.75 Stars

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez
The final Kindle Unlimited book I read, an unlikely meeting where they keep crossing paths but don't really know it.  Also sweet and charming.  My favorite of all these short stories I think. 3.75 Stars

Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah
This book was not what I was expecting.  Divorced and alone, a woman boards a small plane, gets in an accident, wanders in the woods, and ends up at an almost abandoned hotel near a lake.  Things aren't quite what they seem.  Maybe I should have seen the twist coming.  I did not.  Also unsure how I felt about this one... 2.75 Stars

Finding Father Christmas, Engaging Father Christmas, Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn
I've been reading this novella series every December for 10 years or nearly (wrote a post about them here).  Set in the most charming village in England, a woman trying to find out who her father is and then finding so much more.  All set around Christmas.  Just very sweet.  4.5 Stars

Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb
I really enjoyed this one.  Set mostly in England with a few people loosely connected to Queen Elizabeth around Christmas and her giving her first radio broadcast.  A young journalist, a chef in the kitchens.  They were long ago friends during the war but had lost touch, now, unintentionally, the Queen brings them back together, many times.  It was charming and a sweet love story, with a British backdrop. 4 Stars

A Home for the Holidays by Taylor Hahn
A story about grief at Christmas, when a woman's mother dies in mid-December.  She moves back home to try to deal with that and is taken in by her mother's former best friend who the daughter had only vaguely heard of.  The daughter discovers more about herself and learns more about her mother AND maybe finds love.  It took an unexpected turn at the end that kinda felt out of nowhere and unsure how that made me feel about the book overall.  3.5 Stars

The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas by Ann Voskamp
This is the "advent" (December 1st - 25th) devotional that I have read every year for many years.  Roughly following the Jesse Tree and the geneology of Jesus.  I enjoy it, I've read it 10 Decembers or nearly, although I wouldn't mind finding a Catholic one for next December, I just never think of it in time and I own this one... 4 Stars

Winter Street, Winter Stroll, Winter Storms, Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand
The other series that I read every December and have every year since each book was released (previous post here).  I've read all of Elin Hilderbrand's books but these are among the ones I've read the most.  I love my time with the Quinns every December, even though my frequent rereading of them does make a few consistency issues stand out... 4.5 Stars

Yours Forever and Starry Night by Robin Jones Gunn
I had other books planned for the end of December and then that plan went out the window and I knocked through both of these over December 30th and 31st, to hit my goal.  Finished the second at about 11pm on New Years Eve (I had about 3 pages left from earlier in the day).  From my beloved Christy Miller series (previous post here) that was a huge influence in my teen years.  I've read these countless times over the last 30 years, bring back such fond memories. 4 Stars

Read with Sam
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
I remembered reading this with Luke years ago but I didn't know it was the week schools shut down in March 2020 until I was logging reading it this time with Sam.  We had a very different life experience around reading it this time!  I censored a few parts reading it (again, I did with Luke too) but Sam enjoyed the strangeness of this. I loved this book as a kid; the copy I read both boys was my paperback that my Mom let me color the pictures in it, but only in colored pencil.  3.75 Stars

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
Another one I read with Sam  now after reading it with Luke years ago.  This book works because it's so strange that they have penguins living in their house and nobody is too concerned about it but you figure it's the 40s or whatever so people just maybe had wild animals living with them.  And then at the end the Dad runs away with the penguins to Antartica for a few years and his wife and kids are like "that's normal, he doesn't want to say goodbye to the penguins".  3.75 Stars

How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith
This was the 5th December I've read this to the boys although the least consistent we've been in awhile, missing many days and then needing to catch up.  25 short chapters, following a mouse trying to get a letter to Santa.  Nice and festive and easy to read.  Nice pictures too.  4 Stars

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
I LOVE this book and it's one of my favorite traditions to with the boys.  We usually start it the week of Christmas, finishing it ON Christmas and I get choked up every. single. year.  The Herdmans somehow get everything just right.  Beautiful and wonderful.  5 Stars

Luke and I are still reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  I am DETERMINED to finish it in January (although I was also determined to finish it in December...)! 

That is the large number of books I've been reading over the last 2 months.  What have YOU been reading??

Reading Recap - October 2024

October was my most productive reading month of the year so far which felt good to keep up with my goal.  Part of it was finishing a lot of books with my younger son and also knocking through some quicker reads to get them off my TBR or back to the library.  Sometimes it just feel good to get through a stack.  

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th! 

Other book post this month:

 {9} Boo Books

Now what I've read...

Given Our History by Kristyn J. Miller
College set, perfect for a fall read.  Former flames get thrown back together in a professional environment.  They are forced to work together.  Sparks fly.  I feel like this is at least the 3rd version of this story I've read this year but this one was seasonable and enjoyable.  3.5 Stars

The Marching Band Nerds Handbook: Rules from the 13th Chair Trombone Player by DJ Corchin
This was a very quick read but humous little "rules" relating to marching band.  Marching band was a huge part of my high school experience and this brought back a lot of those memories.  Perfectly fun to read in October. 3.5 Stars

Harry Potter: A Magical Year by J.K. Rowling, illustrations by Jim Kay
This had lingered on my TBR for quite awhile but I finally checked it out and read it in a couple days, doing about a quarter each day.  It has a Harry Potter quote, from the original 7 books, for each day of the year, a lot tied to characters' birthdays or events like the TriWizard Tournament or whatever.  Some funny, some thoughtful.  4 Stars

Freely and Lightly: God's Gracious Invitation to a Life of Quiet Confidence by Emily Lex
Beautiful water colors and the invitation to do more resting by living a little lighter.  I don't remember anything real specific about it besides the pictures but it was soothing to read.  3.75 Stars

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
This was a long book, 500ish pages and it took a bit to get going.  About a woman who has an "episode" on a plane and goes around telling other passengers at what age and how they will all die.  Finding out you are supposed to die in your 90s is very different from finding out you are going to die at 32, when you turn 32 next month.  Some of the passengers stay in contact after the flight and then they start to find some of the predictions come true which sends everyone into a frenzy.  How did she know all of this???  Keeps up with a few passengers in particular.  Could have been a little shorter but at this length the ending really felt earned.  3.5 Stars

Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter
I know I really liked the first book in this set but remembered NOTHING about the plot.  This is a follow-up with the same characters but I had to google what the heck their backstory was.  Former couple, gets torn apart right before college.  Later thrown back together and she hates him for leaving her.  They, spoiler, eventually get along.  I don't think it was quite as charming as the first.  Or I just have less patience for YA now. 3 Stars

Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
A follow up to Olive Kitteridge which I read last year and liked.  These are more interrelated short stories where Olive frequently pops up but sometimes just barely and other times she's the focus.  Set in Maine which makes me already like it more.  More literary that most of what I read but nice to try different sorts of books.  Really felt for Olive at different points in her life, despite her gruff exterior.  3.75 Stars

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
There was a lot I like about this book.  The cover is blue and I like lighthouses.  The Pacific Northwest setting was a lot of fun and the overall storyline was good enough.  It was one of the most open door books I've read though and I was not expecting that.  Like...I was in shock a few times??  And it was a bit cheesy at time.  Maybe I've been married too long that I'm cynical about this "instantly falling in love" stuff.  It's harder than that you people!  2.75 Stars

The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can't by Erin Loechner
This was one of the best books I've read this year and one I think nearly every parent should read, especially if you have young kids at home.  Young being any kids at home, really.  The importance of keeping our kids safe when they are on screens, all the negatives of having kids on screens, and the benefits of a life outside of screens.  This has been heavy on my mind lately, especially since our older son now has a computer he brings home from school every day now for schoolwork.  Just wonderful, empowering, and worthwhile.  Read it if you have kids.  5 Stars

Queens of London by Heather Webb
This was not what I was expecting.  It was about a few females in London between the World Wars.  A head of a crime gang, the policewoman chasing them, a shopkeeper who gets caught up in it, and a young orphans who desperately needs a loving adult in her life.  It's not lifestyles or a time I've read a lot about and I appreciated the varying perspectives.  Interesting and captivating enough.  3.5 Stars

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory by Matthew Kelly
This was a recommended book by our church that we got for free.  I read it over 33 days and it started a little dry but the last 80% was much better than the start.  I especially liked the parts about various saints, I learned many things I hadn't known before so that was nice.  A good reflection book to read for about a month.  4.5 Stars

The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius by Kenda Adachi
I read about 40% of this book while in line to early vote in late October, that's how long my line was.  Standing to read isn't super comfortable so maybe it would have been more appreciated if I had been at home and not partially paying attention to the line as well.  I've been listening to The Lazy Genius podcast for 6ish years now and have read all her books.  I liked A LOT of what she's had to say about time management, expectations, finding what matters, etc.  But also there were A LOT of acronyms in this book which made it nearly impossible to remember them all.  But would also be worthwhile to revisit at some point. 4 Stars

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
I've read this Halloween set graphic novel every Halloween for 6 years now or something.  It's so perfectly seasonal and always bring a little bit of quiet to a day that doesn't have much of it. 4.5 Stars

Verity by Colleen Hoover
This was our book club read-along for October and it was a RIDE.  Good golly...a lot of twists happened in this book.  It was my first Colleen Hoover book and it didn't super make me want to read another of hers but also not super opposed to it either.  Just...wow.  A LOT happened.  Those people were...something.  But good suspense read for October. 3.5 Stars

Finished with Sam and/or Luke
I've been reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with L for over 4 months now...

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett & Jory John, illustrated by Kevin Cornell
Read to Sam and probably was a little old for him (he said his teacher read the first chapter to them at school and then switched to a different book) but Sam found the tales of grade school kids (maybe 5th grade) trying to be the school prankster pretty funny.  3 Stars

Fabio the World's Greatest Flamingo Detective: Peril at Lizard Lake by Laura James
Sam & I finished this trilogy and he really loved all three of them.  I don't read a lot of mysteries but these felt like the drama of stereotypical mystery book.  They are charming enough and a fun series to read with him.  3.75 Stars

Crimson Twill: Witch in the City, Witch in the Country by Kallie George, illustrated by Birgitta Sif
This were some lightly Halloween themed books to read with Sam.  This is the same author of the Heartwood Hotel books which were the first chapter books I read to each of the boys so we have a fondness for her writing.  Nice read alouds for October with no scares in them.  3.5 Stars

The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
We've now read this 6 years in a row so apparently it's a tradition.  The Best Christmas Pageant ever is a perfect chapter book and this one isn't quite as good but I think I like it more every time we read it.  It captures perfectly the feelings kids have around Halloween.  4 Stars

That's all I read in October.  What have YOU been reading??

Reading Recap - September 2024

Back to reading!  I read a lot of places this month: in the car at a cross country meet (waiting for it to start...I took 5 books), in the car at cross country practice (waiting out the rain), at SkyZone waiting for my nieces to jump, and then also at home.  But usually I only read at home or at whatever place we've traveled to!  It was nice to be able to read a book those places and not just mess on my phone. 

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th! 

What I've been reading:

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
This is one of my favorites of hers and I've read it every Labor Day weekend (ish) for 5 years straight now.  Takes place almost entirely over Labor Day weekend, over 28 summers, as two people are each other's "Same Time, Next Year", where they have a passionate affair for one weekend every single year.  The end still makes me teary.  4.5 Stars

Heavy Hitter by Katie Cotugno
This was Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce but make it baseball instead.  Like...that was the big change.  It was under 250 pages so it didn't drag on, which I appreciated, and just enough time to get to know the characters, all that.  Sometimes a quick read is really nice.  3 Stars

The Floating Feldmans by Elyssa Friedland
I've read many "family drama" books by this author, most of them taking place on some sort of vacation.  This one was a cruise with the whole family where everyone has secrets and they all come to light over the course of the cruise. Interesting although sometimes I get impatient just waiting for all the truths to just come out.  Also made me want to go on a cruise.  3.25 Stars

The Frindle Files by Andrew Clements
A follow-up book to Frindle which is one of the best books I've read and made me cry both times I've read it.  This wasn't quite as good but I still teared up reading it.  4 Stars

Ella of All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
Finishing up this series and it's been delightful to read this over the last few months.  This book mostly followed the oldest daughter (Ella) and her romantic relationship but in a very 1910ish way.  Also stories about the rest of the family.  Just a sweet, charming series I have enjoyed this year.  3.75 Stars

What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life by Sharon Salin
This was a bit of a drag to get through at times, just a lot of info and trying to take it all in.  Not the most fun read to pick up but I really did learn a lot and, if anything, gave me more patience in dealing with my ADHD kid, knowing his brain just is working differently than mine. 4.25 Stars

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce
This is a book I wish I had given up on about 50 pages in instead of sticking around for almost 400.  First, it didn't need to be 400 pages.  Cut at least 100 pages, maybe 150.  Maybe I've just read too many books lately in the "we were formerly in some sort of relationship, now we think we hate each other and haven't spoken in years before we are stuck together again and will be falling in love even though we think we hate each other.".  Honestly, that sums up most of the romance I've read this year and this one just didn't gel for me.  2 Stars

Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren
Just a fun, fun take on Tangled but current day and a pretty closed door story.  Not much happens here, romance wise, that didn't happen in the Disney movie.  And that's a top 5 animated movie for me so this was an enjoyable read.  3.75 Stars

Women at Ground Zero: Stories of Compassion and Courage by Susan Hagen
I purposely read this in September and it was harder to get through than I thought.  It was published in 2002 and most, if not all, of the interviews took place in late 2001 or early 2002.  The work these women did around Ground Zero was still very very fresh.  It was heart breaking and very heavy at times but ultimately these women did amazing work on a terrible day, all just doing their best to survive and help others.  Women who responded as emergency workers that morning, women who worked on the bucket line on clean-up, women who worked at the morgue trying to ID body parts, women who worked at the dump where they took the buckets from Ground Zero, women covering the day for the news, women who just happened to be near.  Their stories really were astonishing.  I have read a decent amount about 9/11 in the 20+ years since and there were still many new details to me here.  A worthwhile read, for sure.  5 Stars

House Rules: How to Decorate for Every Home, Style, and Budget by Myquillyn Smith
A hard pivot in my nonfiction reading, on 100 "rules" for decorating, where the very first rule is to break the rules.  Pretty pictures and I always appreciate some new inspiration for our home, even though making any improvement doesn't seem to be in the time schedule lately.  4 Stars

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
Dual timeline historical fiction about the Pied Piper program in London during the Blitz of World War II.  Two sisters were evacuated and one is presumed dead a few months into their countryside stay, after a disappearance next to a river.  In the second timeline, the non-missing sister comes across a book containing stories eerily similar to the ones she told her missing sister during their time away.  Who could have written it???  The Pied Piper program is fascinating to me and this was well told. 3.5 Stars

Read with Sam
The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo by Judy Blume
Quick and easy chapter book I read with Sam.  This book really felt LONGER when I was a kid (it's about 50 pages).  But he liked it.  It's cute. 3.5 Stars

The Runaway Reindeer by Amelia Cobb
We've been working through this 27 book series for exactly a year at this point and just have 3 books to go!  This was a Christmas set book we read in September because that's when my inter-library loan came through.  Ideally we would have read it in December but I don't think Sam minded too much.  3.5 Stars

I've been reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with Luke since June.  Maybe we'll finish by Christmas??  It's a LONG book! 

What have YOU been reading lately?

Reading Recap - August 2024

Another month of reading!  Back into a more reliable rhythm with school back in session in August.  I try to read for an hour straight near first thing in the morning (as much as I am able) on school days so at least if the rest of the day go awry, I know I got in some time to for me, to keep my spirits up.  Still reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with my oldest as we have been for MONTHS (it's a long book) but got through a few shorter chapter books with my youngest.  Otherwise a pretty decent variety, I think!

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th! 

Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland
This book wasn't really what I was expecting.  A somewhat estranged family (or at least a family largely on the outs with each other) become even more split up when 3/4 of them go in on a lottery ticket together that ends up paying big.  This causes problems with the sibling who was just mocking them for buying a ticket right before they did.  Also, there is a largely forgotten subplot about how they are about to lose their longtime family beach house.  I thought the story would end with the siblings rallying to save it together but after being emotional about it they just sell it and it's hardly mentioned again.  Also, they made winning the lottery sound terrible.  3 Stars

Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell
This was probably my favorite book I read all summer.  It had vibes of Grace Grows (a book I've read many times and get sucked in every time) and You've Got Mail (which I watch every fall).  Set in the summer of 1999, in the heyday of AOL and AIM (OHHHH AIM...that was mine & Matt's main method of communication through 2 school years).  Sawyer is struggling in NYC with her college boyfriend.  She befriends her boyfriend's close coworker's boyfriend and they go on Friday adventures together while their significant others are working.  They both spend all week living for their Friday afternoons (my first real job post college also gave us Friday afternoons off in the summer!).  Just sucked me in and was so charming and about a time that feels both not that long ago and forever ago.  4.5 Stars

The Wedding People by Alison Espach
I somewhat accidentally (library due date approaching) read this the weekend we were actually going to a wedding.  A hotel guest is unexpectedly drawn into wedding drama at an exclusive inn in Newport, Rhode Island.  She ends up becoming a confident of the bride, on the big wedding weekend, to the point where it changes the trajectory of both of their lives.  A bit about rich people, a bit about needing a push to change your life.  3.5 Stars

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
Set inside the writers room of a TV show, with the book's (source material) author and someone she knew in high school who is a producer/writer on the show.  They know each other for tragic reasons and she's (author) tried to hate him (producer) for a decade+ but then they are thrown together like this and that's hard to do.  I completely forgot the storyline for this one but I gave it 4 stars when I first read it so...I must have liked it.  3.5 Stars

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip & Dan Heath
This was our book club book for July that I didn't get from the library (hold list) until about July 30th so I read it in August.  This was one of my picks (there are 4 of us and we each pick 3 books a year) and I think I'm the only one who has read it, still.  I read this a few years ago (when we only had 1 kid!) and still appreciated it today.  The opening story in this book I still think about fairly regularly.  Here's my original review and another mention on a list on non-parenting books that made me rethink parenting list.  4.5 Stars

A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey
I found this book shortly before we went to the Outer Banks because it is set on the North Carolina coast (although, not the Outer Banks).  Library holds meant I didn't get to read it until we got back.  Apparently this is a somewhat popular author but I hadn't heard of her until July.  A woman who is a little lost is given the chance to go back to her grandparents' abandoned home near the coast, to fix it up to sell.  There is an attractive neighbor, old lady friends, and some mysteries to solve.  My biggest takeaway from this book is that her grandmother's name was Rebecca St. James and all I could think of was the 90s CMM artist with the same name.  It feels to unique to have two of them??  But maybe it's not.  3 Stars

There I Go Again: How I Came to be Mr. Feeny, John Adams, Dr. Craig, KITT, and Many Others by William Daniels
Our book club read for August which my sister picked for the Mr. Feeny connection but that only ended up being about a chapter of it.  I have great fondness for Boy Meets World after watching it twice a day on the Disney Channel at least my freshman year of college.  This was just interesting about his life and how early he was put to work as a kid (very young).  I didn't know much about his other jobs but still just interesting in a "this is how Hollywood can work" kind of way. 3.75 Stars

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl
This was a very food heavy novel, as expected from Ruth Reichl (at one point they eat whole tiny birds, bones, guts and all).  Set around 1983 so can't be historical fiction since that's the year I was born...but Paris sounded dreamy for a spell, having the kind of job where you could just take off to Paris for a year??  Nothing was remote dialed in then!  Great if you are very into food and/or Paris. 3.5 Stars

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
There are some Rainbow Rowell books I've really enjoyed and others I've been more ehhhh on.  This one is somewhere in the middle.  It actually has a similar story line to the book I'm currently reading.  Old friends who everyone thought would end up together after high school, back in the same room together after 14 years.  Will sparks fly??  Should they?? (That seems like the bigger question.)  Although there were a few swoony lines in here. 3.25 Stars

Dad Camp by Evan S. Porter
Written by a Dad, about a Dad who is taking his daughter to a "Dad camp" sleep away camp for dads and daughters.  She's about to become a teenager, he feels like they are losing their final chances at improving their bond before she's a teenager.  A tumultuous time.  Things go a bit awry at camp.  I appreciated the wanting to bond more and soak in those moments before kids really don't want parents around; I'm a mom with a boy getting too close (11) to being a teenager.  Drug a bit at times but really appreciated what it was saying.  3.25 Stars

Read with Sam
Fabio the World's Greatest Flamingo Detective: The Case of the Missing Hippo and Mystery on the Ostrich Express by Laura James, illustrated by Emily Fox
This is a new trilogy I started reading with Sam, while we wait for the library to get the rest of the Zoe Rescue Zoo books.  He declared these to be hilarious and loved them although even I had a little trouble keeping track of the characters in the first one.  I think he just likes the idea of a mystery because that's now a genre I've read much to him (or at all??).  Very brightly colored, lots of pictures, not like a picture book but a lot for a chapter book, and all in color which isn't super common with chapter books I read to him.  Just checked out the third one to read to him soon! 4 Stars

The Messy Meerkat & The Rascally Racoon by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
There are something like 27 Zoe Rescue Zoo books, our library has maybe 7 and we've bought 10 for Sam as gifts over the last 9 months.  I've interlibrary loaned a bunch more but we still haven't gotten through them all (the library couldn't source 2-3 of them through ILL). These are the two we gave Sam for his adoption day and he was very excited about them as he has been for all of them.  I have never seen a Racoon as a zoo exhibit but maybe they are a novelty in England?? 3.5 Stars

What have YOU been reading?

Reading Recap - July 2024

We're through summer reading!  I always have dreams of fitting in WAY MORE reading over the summer...and then that rarely happens.  There is just A LOT going on in the summer, July especially for us.  And when I started running before my boys are awake a few mornings a week, that cut into my previous "read before the boys are awake" habit, quite a bit.  (There were a handful of days I could run, shower, and still have time to read before they woke up!).  Finding a little more routine to my reading now that school has started up again although there are plenty of things I could be doing besides reading!

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th! 

One other book post this month:

{15} Turtle Picture Books

And everything else I read!

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand
Elin Hilderbrand's final Nantucket set book (at least for now)!  Her books have been a staple for me since 2011 and I have dutifully read her newest every single summer since (and went through her whole back list as well).  They aren't always super memorable BUT they are always page turners and I've always been happy to have her newest to read.  A lot of characters from past books pop up but prior knowledge of them isn't strictly necessary.  There are rich people getting into real problems (fire! missing people!) on Nantucket and other people maybe not telling the full truth.  I ALWAYS end up googling Nantucket pictures (pretty!) or rentals (out of my price range!) after reading one of these and I'll be sad not to have a new one next summer. 3.75 Stars

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone
A surprise pregnancy after a one night stand, set in NYC, a woman's BFF's older brother who steps into help her.  (I have read MANY books this year about falling in love with a best friend's brother.)  I remember reading this but do not remember why I only gave it 3 stars on Goodreads.  There must have been something I didn't love about it but don't remember what that is now! 3 Stars

ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD by Penn and Kim Holderness
I read this because I live with someone with ADHD and I would like to understand his brain a little better.  This made me hopeful and also a bit more understanding I think?  At least has helped me have a little more patience with sad individual and some of the quirks of ADHD.  Highly recommend if you have ADHD or live/love someone with it!  Very helpful to see some of the benefits and areas where they might need help. 4.75 Stars

Memory Lane by Becky Wade
I was 100% drawn in my the color of this blue cover and the camp imagery.  Both are very temping to me.  THEN I find out it's set on Maine, which I also enjoy as a setting.  Man pulled from water with no memory, woman who finds him reluctantly takes him in until he's strong enough to go somewhere else.  She lives a quiet and fairly solitary existence.  They have to figure out who he is and where he should be, since it's not floating in the Atlantic aimlessly.  Could have been 100ish pages shorter and still gotten the story in but I did like it. 3.25 Stars

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams
Another author I read regularly every single summer (although for not as long as I've been reading Elin Hilderbrand).  All or nearly all of her books have had a split timeline, telling something about an intriguing woman from history contrasted with some relative near current day.  The flashback here was Cario Egypt in 1951, a time and place I had read nothing about previously.  Current day was a New England island and bringing up old romances after a kid's kidney emergency.  I liked this more than many of her others recently.  A page turner and interested in both story lines, which doesn't always happen. 4 Stars

The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson
A fresh out of high school boy and girl meet after a music festival, stuck together at a bus stop.  They decide to walk around instead of waiting for a fixed bus and the book mostly follows their 24ish hours together.  There was a twist I didn't see coming and that did draw me back in when I was losing interest.  This was maybe the best YA I read this summer but I definitely wasn't like these teens that age, in a way that I sometimes roll my eyes at them.  3.25 Stars

The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin
I know I was reading this on the Outer Banks and took it in the beach bag to the pool at least twice, once actually reading it there.  But enough that it sustained some water damage that I then had to pay for my 1st adult book when I returned it from the library.  And I was mostly mad because IT WASN'T EVEN GOOD.  I've read all of her books and some are great (Something Borrowed) but this one wasn't NOTHING HAPPENED.  Three college friends getting together for a summer in memory of their friend who died in college a decade-ish earlier (this happens on about page 5).  I think it would have worked better if there was a dual timeline, showing WHY they were such good friends back in college, instead of dismissing all those bonding years in the first 10 pages and just moving forward.  Reading it was a waste of time and having to PAY FOR IT was even more of a waste.  1.5 Stars

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady
This one was so much fun and definitely redeemed my vacation reading. Two girls spend every summer together at sleepaway camp, with the goal to work there together once they are old enough.  One girl makes good on that promise and the other doesn't which drives them apart until the camp is about to close and adult campers come back for one last summer before the camp is no more.  The not adult women, one of whom runs the whole thing, are together for the first time in years.  I only ever did a 2 night sleep away camp (and that only twice) but I still LOVED the camp setting, the adults rallying together to save camp, friends coming together, romance, all of it.  So much fun to read. 4 Stars

All of a Kind Family Uptown by Sydney Taylor
I've been reading through this series as I can this year and it's been delightful to pop in with this family every few weeks.  Set in the early 1900s, New York City, with a family of 5 girls and now a son.  Originally published in the 1950s I think and I continue to be amazed that we never read these growing up.  Just sweet and charming (also, I can read one in about an hour).  4 Stars

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
This is the book I picked for Matt to give me for my birthday, so it went to the Outer Banks with us but I didn't finish it until after we were home.  Katherine Center has been very reliable for me and I always enjoy picking up her newest (have also read most of her backlist).  Emma has been caretaking for her father for many years, passing up her own dream of being a screenwriter.  Now she has a once in a lifetime opportunity to write with her favorite screenwriter, she gets care for her father, and flies out to LA, only to discover the screenwriter has a huge ego and doesn't want her help.  But somehow he relents and they work together.  Just fun to read, perfect for a summer (or anytime) read. 4 Stars

Read with Sam
The Super Sloth, The Curious Kangaroo, and The Little Llama by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
Sam and I have been working through this series for the last 10 months now and still aren't done (there are a lot of them! and we've read other books too).  I think Zoey is a bit precocious and gets away with a lot (she has a baby seal sleep in her bed with her, without her mother's knowledge, in one!) but Sam really enjoys them and I like reading them with him.  I think he particularly liked the kangaroo one. 4 Stars

What have YOU been reading lately??

Reading Recap - June 2024

Happy halfway through the year!  June was a much better reading month for me, summer break has been giving me some more time to read, particularly on days when I don't run and we don't have anywhere to be early where I am waking the boys up.  Also, a few trips where I got in some extra reading.  Feels good to be enjoying some books and knocking my TBR down a little (only a little, it's always growing too).  

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th!  

Just one other book post this month:

{29} Beach Picture Books

And now everything I've been reading!

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
I read their new book every summer and this was fun but isn't among my favorites of theirs.  A marriage of convenience comes back to haunt a couple years after they needed it to be helpful.  They end up spending a week (ish) on a tropical island around really rich people pretending to be married again (although they technically ARE married).  Things don't go all to plan.  Fun tropical adventure and family drama.  I'd like the all expenses paid trip to somewhere warm and expensive but not the family mess that came with it.  3.5 Stars

Christa Comes out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman
There is more about sea snails in this book than I expected there to be. A family emergency, a long thought to be dead family member isn't dead (this is in the book's summary and happens very early on).  A woman just wants to get back to her sea snails in the middle of the ocean but has to deal with non-dead people first.  Should have/could have been a bit shorter.  3 Stars

More All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
This is the third in this charming series about a family with 5 girls and then a boy, living in New York around 1905 or something.  It wasn't written back then but is still somewhat old.  I've been reading them to myself but would be good read alouds to kids too, maybe slightly more girl oriented than Luke would care to sit through at this point (he likes adventure or survival).  But a quick satisfying reading every time I pick one up.  3.75 Stars

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
A follow-up to The Guncle which I read maybe 2 years ago.  The Guncle is taking care of his niece and nephew again while their freshly widowed in the first book Dad is now about to get remarried.  I was expecting more romping through Europe but that was really only about the first 25% of the book and then the rest was everyone coming to terms with this wedding.  Gallivanting through Europe on someone else's dime also sounds amazing but it was a lot about feelings. 3 Stars

Now and Not Yet: Pressing in When You're Waiting, Wanting, and Restless for More by Ruth Chou Simons
I could not get into this book despite knowing something about waiting and being restless.  It felt drawn out and like it just kept repeating the same things over and over.  Based on reviews this resonated with many people but just not with me. 2.5 Stars

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
This is one of the few books I bought before reading this year because of how much I have enjoyed Annabel Monaghan's previous books.  This one was also a fun, a woman still reeling a few years after her husband died.  Her dog pees on a man at the dog park (a reason why dogs are always a problem) and thus leads to a relationship.  Also, she's a former accountant turned professional organizer!  I like that someone else has seen the connection between those (I am not a professional organizer but I do like organizing my own home).  Just fun and didn't drag.  4 Stars

Is Everyone Happier Than Me?: An Honest Guide to the Questions That Keep You Up at Night by Sarah Bragg
I read more non-fiction this June than I usually do in the summer, mainly because a bunch of holds I had set months earlier finally all came in.  I related to this one the most of any of them, about a woman in her 40s rethinking a whole lot of things, trying to figure out life in a new stage.  She's a few years older than me but that was nice to read about someone who is coming to terms with this life stage.  Didn't agree with all of it but with enough of it. 3.75 Stars

The Getaway List by Emma Lord
I should have DNF'ed this.  Fresh high school graduate decided to visit her long BFF in New York and doesn't really tell her mom and then gets Mom when her Mom wants her to come home instead of running around NYC with strangers.  I mean, sure, you're 18.  But if you are living at home maybe you should be more considerate??  Also, a part-time coffee house job can cover an apartment in NYC?  I got annoyed with these kids.  2 Stars

In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander
Another book where someone has a vacation to a tropical location paid for them.  Does this happen as much in real life as in books???  Fake romance trope.  Lady also gets A LOT of work done to get her dream job when she gets back.  Do people work that much on a tropical vacation?  Maybe they do if it's paid for???  I appreciated that it was the lady working in the video game field and not the guy (which made me think of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow solely for the video game aspect). 3 Stars

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Under 300 pages YA on a couple who meet on an intercontinental flight.  She's going to her Dad's second wedding.  He does not say why he's flying across the Atlantic.  The first half made more sense the second, maybe kids just...are braver than me??  Or don't have a fully developed brain enough to keep them from making weird decisions.  I've read many books by this author and it wasn't my favorite.  2.75 Stars

Mostly What God Does: Reflections of Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere by Savannah Guthrie
During Luke's first year of life we watched a decent amount of the Today show.  I would give him his morning bottle while we sat on the couch and watched.  Since he went off bottles 10ish years ago, I have only watched random clips or very occasionally but that was my introduction to Savannah Guthrie.  These are fairly short reflections, each a handful of pages, about different aspects of faith.  We're both Christian but different branches so theologically I'm not sure I agreed with it all BUT I got the overall gist of what she was saying (and most of it matched up fine).  Mostly about how God loves you.  Maybe reading it a little slower would have been better but I was pushing up against a library due date so that didn't leave a lot of time for reflecting.  3.5 Stars

The One With the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel
Drug a bit in the middle but then picked up.  Charming, chaste, just a nice satisfying romance that wasn't too unbelievable.  3.5 Stars

Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed
Parts of this I could super relate to.  Parts of this I really couldn't.  Parts made me feel better about not reading some classics.  Part of it made me think I should take on a few more of those.  Could have been a bit shorter but mostly interesting.  3.25 Stars

Read with Luke and/or Sam
The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems and Tony DiTerizzi
This barely counted but I think Goodreads was telling me I was behind my reading goal when we read this so I decided to count it.  An easy chapter book about a cat and a dog who befriend each other in Paris.  It was cute.  3.75 Stars

The Cuddly Koala, The Picky Puffin, and The Giggly Giraffe by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
Sam just told me this morning how much he really likes these books and how, if I'm lucky, he'll read them to ME some day, after I've been reading them all to his.  We've exhausted our library's supply, we've read the ~7 I bought for gifts for Sam on Thriftbooks.  Now we are doing Interlibrary loans to get in a bunch of the others.  Which, with their short windows, meant we had to read a few rather quickly.  Anyways, perfect for reading to my almost 1st grader.  And there are like 25 books in the series so these have kept up going for awhile.  Sam would give these 5 Stars.  I'll saw 3 Stars.

The 39 Clues: One False Note by Gordon Korman
This series was recommended to us by my sister and BIL.  They said they flew through them as a family on audio.  We are MUCH slower at them since I am reading them aloud to Luke and that's hard to get in a routine of.  But we finally finished this one.  Takes place largely in Venice and Salzburg I think?  I think we need to read them a little faster to keep the momentum going, there are a lot of these too.  But now we'll be on a many month break because we started another Harry Potter book. 3 Stars

Read a lot of good but not great books this month but still also got in A LOT of reading time.  Hope to read at least as much in July but maybe find more than resonate with me. 

What have YOU been reading lately??