Amy Scott's Thoughts

Bookish Thoughts for November

I could have named this post New Release November! It’s been such a treat to read so many long awaited new releases from my favorite authors. Only one book on my list is a re-read this month and that was The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. I was waiting for a library hold and the book takes place around Thanksgiving. It felt like a good seasonal read. You’ll notice a seasonal theme to my reading as well. I got a library copy of Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber at the very beginning of the month, so the Halloween timeline felt right. I’ve enjoy Garber’s other books and her main character in Alchemy is reminiscent of her previous heroines. While fantasy isn’t my favorite genre, I’m okay with a little magic now and again. Truthfully, I almost didn’t finish this one because I wasn’t sure about the direction it was going, but about halfway through it changed course. I enjoyed the latter half of the book much more. I didn’t love it, but I’m intrigued enough that I will continue reading when the next installment is released.

The new release I was looking forward to most this month was Through Each Tomorrow by Gabrielle Meyer. Her Timeless series has become one of my absolute favorites. I’m very impressed with the complex timeline Meyer has created. Six books into the series, there is a lot of overlapping of characters and times. It takes some thought to keep them all straight, but each addition adds insight into the whole series while still standing on its own. I love the many different historical eras she’s been able to cover in this series as well. It’s next level historical fiction, in my opinion. I devoured Through Each Tomorrow while we were at the coast at the beginning of the month. It was the perfect vacation read!

On to Kindle Unlimited!!! I have dozens of books on my Kindle Unlimited TBR. I’ve been stockpiling new releases through October and November. When I subscribed to KU, I barely knew where to begin! So many choices! I’ve been prioritizing the new Christmas novels, because seasonal reading makes me happy. Courtney Walsh, Kate Watson, Emma St. Clair, and Brittany Larson all released new books in series I’ve read before. Also, Kasey Stockton’s new release included characters from another one of her Christmas novels. I love reconnecting with friends and places in books. I’m only partially through my KU TBR, so prepare to hear more about my obsession with new releases next month as well!

Top Picks for November

The Book List for November
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

• You Bet Your Stretch Marks: Finding Beauty and Worth in the Ways Motherhood Marks Our Bodies and Souls by Abbie Halberstadt – 4 stars

Fiction:

• Through Each Tomorrow by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center – 4 stars (Thanksgiving)
• My Merry Mistake by Courtney Walsh – 4 stars (Christmas)
• Acting Merry by Martha Keyes – 4 stars (Christmas)
• Highland Holiday by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars (Christmas)
• Planes, Reins, and Automobiles by Kate Watson – 4 stars (Christmas)
• Fa-La-La-La Land by Brittany Larsen – 4 stars (Christmas)
• The Wild Card by Emma St. Clair – 4 stars
• The Dandelion Princess by Keira Dominguez – 4 stars
• Tell Me True by Carina Taylor – 4 stars
• The Friendship Variable by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham – 3 stars
• Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars (Halloween)

Side Note: I’ve been extra free with the 4 star ratings this month. I guess it’s my seasonal, new release happiness giving me rose-colored reading glasses this month.

Bookish Thoughts for October

The last weekend of October was a stormy one in the PNW! If it wasn’t for the wet and windy weather, my book total would be much lower this month. Some minor sniffles mixed with wild weather gave our family the perfect reason to hunker down at home and chill for a few days. I took full advantage of this down time to catch up on reading! You’ll notice it was a very fictional month for me. I just didn’t have the bandwidth for non-fiction. It was also a very 3 star month for me, but honestly, that was perfect. Nothing too deep, nothing too serious. My schedule didn’t allow for a literary deep dive. I enjoyed my month of fluffy reading. Sometimes a light month is needed and October delivered!

My big accomplishment of the month was reading Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. It took me a while to get through it. The length of the book and the science made it a slightly slower read for me. It was fascinating, though. I found the flashbacks made for a gripping tale as the reader slowly pieces together what is happening. I greatly enjoyed Ryland’s character and the supporting characters. The end-of-the-world dynamic was serious, but it also had many light and comical moments. The ending caught me off-guard! This is a favorite book of a dear friend. She requested I read the book so I could go see the movie with her when it’s released in March 2026. I have now completed my assignment and I am ready for a book/movie comparison!

I re-read the Sweater Weather series this month. It was the perfect light reading with all the seasonal vibes. I read the series when it was first released in 2023. I bought the series when it went on sale in 2024. To validate my purchase, I decided to read them again this year! I enjoyed revisiting Harvest Hollow and the characters that my favorite authors created. The Sweater Weather series transitions into the Appies series. Two of the Appies books are apart of the Sweater Weather series and I own the next two books in the Appies Series. There are 3 more Appies books in Kindle Unlimited that I don’t own. I might read them when I subscribe to KU in November. I do love completing a series… But… KU is about to release a dozen or so new novels by my favorite authors and most of those are Christmas books. The pull to holiday reading might be stronger than the pull to finish a series. We’ll have to wait and see. Maybe I’ll have time for both!

Top Picks for October

The Book List for October
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – 4 stars
• Because of You by Becky Wade – 3 stars
• Gelato at the Villa by Robin Jones Gunn – 3 stars
• Can’t Help Falling by Courtney Walsh – 3 stars
• The Fall Back Plan by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
• Faking the Fall by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
• Easy as Pie by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
• A Not So Fictional Fall by Savannah Scott – 3 stars
• Just Don’t Fall by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor – 3 stars
• A Groom of One’s Own by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor – 3 stars
• Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for August

My total books read in August was quite an increase from previous months! I have summer camp to thank for that. Not only did a have extra free time while my menfolk were away, but they came home with the summer camp sniffles. It was a slow trickle that started with Owen and then spread to Graham and then to Jeremy. Needless to say, we had extra down days at home in recovery mode. Thus, more books read this month. It’s been a enjoyable way to wrap up my summer and fill the days at home. The pace in September will pick up and I’m positive my list will be much smaller next month. There is an ebb and flow even in a reading life. After exhausting my library TBR, I subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and started working on a stockpile of new releases there! I’m so grateful for access to an abundance of reading material. It seems like there is always a new book waiting for me around the corner!

Highlights of the month include At Your Best and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. These have become annual August reads for me. They are perfect reminders before the school year starts that I can chose what pace I live at. Living intentionally slower and giving my best energy to what matters most is important. These books give me the encouragement I need to start our school year off well and keep a sustainable pace year round. Such a good resources! Good reads!

My summer of Denise Hunter continues. I’ve now read enough of her works to know I prefer her books about books. Her others are good, but I love books about authors or bookshop owners. They make my heart extra happy! I re-read some of my favorites by Jenny B. Jones. They feel like visiting old friends. I re-read I Heard the Owl Call My Name. It was a high school summer reading book from obviously a long time again. I remembered liking it and I wanted to see Adult Me liked it as much as Teen Me. I am happy to report I liked even more as an adult. It’s a short book that takes place in the Canadian wilderness. I read it on a dark, wet day that fit the mood of the book perfectly. I finished the book with tears in my eyes and I’ve thought back on it often this month.

With Kindle Unlimited, I was able to read new releases from some of my favorite indie authors. My favorites were the ones by Emma St. Clair, Annah Conwell, Kate Watson, and Kasey Stockton. I enjoy a good series and all of these reconnected me characters I’ve read before. Again, like visiting friends! Don’t worry, I do have “in real life” friends, not just book friends. I was just keeping our germs away from them this month! I have a few more KU books on my TBR and I feel the strong pull to revisit the Anne of Green Gables books after watching the mini-series this month. The world is full of some many wonderful books to read! Happy Reading!

Top Picks for August

The Book List for August
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer – 5 stars
• At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor by Carey Nieuwhof – 5 stars
• The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkle – 3 stars

Fiction:

• Love, Unscripted by Denise Hunter – 4 stars
• The Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter – 3 stars
• Sweetwater Gap by Denise Hunter – 3 stars
• Lake Season by Denise Hunter – 4 stars
• Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter – 3 stars
• Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter – 4 stars
• Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
• There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones – 5 stars
• His Mistletoe Miracle by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
• I’ll Be Yours by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
• An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon – 4 stars
• If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair – 4 stars
• I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven – 4 stars
• The Lady of the Red River Valley by Gabrielle Meyer – 3 stars
• The Confidentiality Clause by Annah Conwell – 4 stars
• A Secret Correspondence by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
• Terms of Un-Endearment by Brittany Larsen – 3 stars
• Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend by Kate Watson – 4 stars
• Rookie Season by Leah Brunner & Katie Bailey – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for July

I’ve let myself have a fictional July (aka a month of fiction-only reading)! Summer feels like the perfect time to dive into fiction and to leave the non-fiction on the shelf for a while. I promise I will return to non-fiction reading in August, but July was the mental break I needed. I had so much fun this month discovering new authors. Angela Bell, Becky Wade, and Denise Hunter were all new authors for me. Pepper Basham was also a new author from last month that I read more of in July. Essentially, my July reading was mostly Hallmark movies, but in book form. It was perfect!

Highlights of the month were A Novel Proposal, The Island Bookshop, and The Collector of Burned Books. I love books about books and the first two I mentioned also had summer, beachy vibes. The Island Bookshop was the first time I’d read contemporary fiction from Roseanna M. White. The Collector of Burned Book was WWII historical fiction, which isn’t her usual time period. Roseanna M. White also released a fantasy novel recently and I read it last month. I’ve been impressed with her ability to write across genres and challenge herself with new things.

Another fun treat this month was listening to the audiobook version of The Host by Stephanie Meyer. I’ve read the book twice and watched the movie. I was told the audiobook was well done and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see (well, listen) for myself. The Host is a thick book – over 600 pages. It made the audiobook 23 hours along. It was a commitment! It was neat to hear the story in a new way and it’s a book that I will definitely re-read again (but maybe not listen to… that might have been a one and done experience due to the length). I read much faster than I listen!

I have a stack of library books to work through in August as well was some annual re-reads I want to revisit. I’m watching new releases by some of my favorite Indie authors stack up in Kindle Unlimited. I’ll have a long TBR when I subscribe again (probably this fall). Thankfully, my local library, the Libby app, and my home library have kept me plenty busy this summer and they will continue to do so. I’m a happy bookworm!

Top Picks for July

The Book List for July
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

• Memory Lane by Becky Wade – 4 stars
• Rocky Road by Becky Wade – 4 stars
• Uneasy Street by Becky Wade – 4 stars
• Positively, Penelope by Pepper Basham – 3 stars
• Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham – 3 stars
• Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham – 4 stars
• A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell – 3 stars
• Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter – 4 stars
• A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter – 4 stars
• Riverbend Gap by Denise Hunter – 3 stars
• Mulberry Hollow by Denise Hunter – 4 stars
• Harvest Moon by Denise Hunter – 4 stars
• Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter – 3 stars
• The Island Bookshop by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• The Host by Stephanie Meyers – 5 stars

Bookish Thoughts for June

June continues the trend of a slower reading life. However, as long as I have a good book to read close at hand, all is well! Showing up for my real-life people in June has been a priority over making fictional friends. Even with my relaxed pace, I’ve still managed a fairly diverse reading month!

After a long hold at the library, I was able to pick up The Pharisee’s Wife by Jannette Oke. I’m used to Oke’s books featuring the prairies and the Rockies, but this Biblical historical fiction was a breakaway from her usual genre. I was certainly intrigued. While I enjoyed the story, it was not what I’ve come to know and love in Oke’s books. It was still a good book, but I wanted a different ending.

Roseanna M. White released her first fantasy novel this month. She almost exclusively writes historical fiction. Again, I was intrigued by an author trying something new. I don’t spend much time in the fantasy genre, but I did enjoy her book, Awakened. It’s the first in a four book series. I’m looking forward to seeing how White expands her fantasy world in the next book. I’m also looking forward to more new releases from White next month. She’s been busy!

My favorite new release of the month was Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh. Rosie is a struggling actress who unintentionally accepts a position directing a musical in a retirement community. It was a sweet and quirky tale. I love Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, so it was neat to envision it being performed by seniors in my mind. The book takes place over the course of the summer, so it had great summer reading vibes!

Last, but not least, non-fiction! I read The Liturgy of the Ordinary right after it’s release in 2016. I remember liking it, but I feel like I appreciated it even more now (almost a decade later). The focus on being with God in all the daily moments and how the mundane can be sacred is a message I can’t get enough of. As a stay-at-home, homeschool mom, I know the liturgy of ordinary days very well. There is such sweetness and goodness in these experiences, especially when you are a looking for God in them. Tish Harrison Warren does an excellent job of exploring God’s presence in our entire day, from sun up to sun down. Finally, Rich Villodas was a new author for me, but his book was recommended by John Mark Comer (another favorite author), so I decided to check it out. The Deeply Formed Life paired so well with The Liturgy of the Ordinary. I hope to read more from Villodas in the future!

My reading was all over the place this month! It was fun to pop in and out of all kinds of genres. Diversity keeps life interesting. About a week ago, I went on a spree of placing holds at the local library (since I don’t have Kindle Unlimited at the moment). I am looking forward to exploring some new authors and new stories this summer!

Top Picks for June

The Book List for June
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

• Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren – 4 stars
• The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas – 4 stars

Fiction:

• The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery – 5 stars
• The Pharisee’s Wife by Janette Oke – 3 stars
• Awakened by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh – 4 stars
• Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet – 3 stars
• Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet – 4 stars
• Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham – 3 stars
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman – 3 stars
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for May

May has been a wild month for me! Between our family road trip to Northern California and then coming home to tackle our last few weeks of school, we’ve been busy! Much busier than I expected. I keep track of my reading year to year and I have a general idea of how many books I usually average in a month. 2025 will not be a year that I set any new reading records. At least, that is what the first half of the year is implying. The good news is I’m not in competition with myself. If I read less this year, I read less this year. I still read a lot. Re-reading favorites, celebrating new releases, library pick-ups, and popping on and off of Kindle Unlimited, I love these things. As long as I have a good book and margin to read, I’m a happy camper!

For non-fiction this month, I reread Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did. by John Mark Comer over the course of a month. When it was released in 2024, I devoured it. I read it so fast. I wanted to read it again and savor it this time. It was the perfect book to go through slowly. It’s so substantial and deeply foundational. You can read a couple pages and pause to dwell on the topic addressed. As I finished it, I wanted to start it again. I believe this could be a yearly read for me. Such a good book!

My fiction highlight would be the Timeless series. I read books one and two last month and books three and four this month to prepare for the release of book five, Every Hour Until Then. This series was such a great reread. I loved them just as much the second time around. Also, Every Hour Until Then did not disappoint! I like that it felt different than the other books in the series while keeping the integrity of the series intact. The Jack the Ripper plotline was a little intense. I had moments where I felt like maybe I shouldn’t be reading it so close to bedtime, but it wasn’t graphic. It was just a bit more of a suspense/thriller than I’m used to. The next book in the series comes out in November and I’m already counting down to the next installment!

Top Picks for May

The Book List for May
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non Fiction:

• Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come: One Introvert’s Year of Saying Yes by Jessica Pan – 3 stars
• Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did. by John Mark Comer – 5 stars

Fiction:

• Never With You by Kortney Keisel – 3 stars
• As You Ice It by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• The Double Play by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• Welcome to the Honey B&B by Melody Carlson – 3 stars
• For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• The American Brides Collection by Gabrielle Meyers (Eight Novellas) – 3 stars
  • Virginia Company Bride
  • Love’s Undoing
  • Four Brides and a Bachelor
  • A Groom for Josette
  • First Comes Love
  • The Ranger’s Reward
  • A Tale of Two Hearts
  • Bride of Basswood Hill

Bookish Thoughts for April

April has been full of travels, holidays, and field trips. I’ve found time to fill in the margins of my life with books, but you’ll notice my book total this month is a bit down. It’s been a good reading month, nonetheless, and I’m happy to share my bookish thoughts with you!

First, The Only Magic in the Building series has been keeping me entertained! For the last two months, I’ve had new releases in Kindle Unlimited on Wednesdays. My favorite rom-com authors teamed up to write about a whimsical, matchmaking apartment building. Each author had a different take on how the building was magical and it was neat to see how each story was unique and yet unified in the series. Kindle Unlimited also had new releases by Kate Wilson, Kasey Stockton, and Gabrielle Meyers. It’s been a happy month of new books. Yay!

Speaking of Gabrielle Meyers, the next book in the Timeless series is coming out in May, so I’m slowly reading the first four books again as a refresh. I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy them as much now that I know the ending, but thankfully they are rereading well. I love them just as much the second time around. I also read The Fur Trader’s Lady this month. This is the first book that I’ve read by Meyer that isn’t apart of the Timeless series and, let’s be honest, the title sounds a bit cheesy… But I really enjoyed it!

I also did some recon reading this month. I don’t always pre-read books to share with Owen, but this month I did. I picked up both Hoot and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle while thrifting recently. Hoot was about saving burrowing owls and I remember reading The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle as a kid. Overall, I decided that I might wait a year to recommend them, but I think they’ll be good reads down the road for my young bookworm.

Top Picks for April

The Book List for April

1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

• Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day: Daily Mediations for the Ups, Downs & In-Betweens by Kate Bowler – 4 stars
• The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt – 4 stars

Fiction:

• Misfortune and Mr. Right by Savannah Scott – 4 stars
• Clean Out of Luck by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
• Off the Wall by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
• Signed, Sealed, and Smitten by Melanie Jacobson – 4 stars
• The Escape Plan by Katie Bailey – 3 stars
• When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• The Fur Trader’s Lady by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• Truly Medley Deeply by Kate Wilson – 3 stars
• The Rules of Courtship by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen – 3 stars
• The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi – 3 stars