Amy Scott's Thoughts

It all started with a desire to read something new. I’ve read most of the books on my bookshelf more than once, so I went looking for something new. I discovered a book in Prime Reading that caught my eye. It was a novel by Roseanna M. White. I own one of her books (Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland) and I enjoyed it. I thought why not check out another book by her. Turns out, she’s authored quite a few books and most of them were available through my local library. This is how my novel idea took form. I decided to read as many novels as I possibly could in the month of April. I will admit that it was excessive and delightful. I can fly through most novels in a day and there is nothing quite like a series or discovering a new author to create a binge-worthy obsession.

Why so many novels you might ask? In my last post, I mentioned that there is a lot of change around the corner for me. Some big, some small. It’s mostly positive change, but my brain still seems to stress over what it is yet to come. My mind wonders and wanders. I have an tendency to overthink, worry, ponder, and brood. I didn’t want to get on a one way track of overthinking. Instead, I gave my mind a different project. Not every month can be this dedicated to reading, but for April, these books served me well and I am thankful for a chance to step into a story other than my own.

L.M. Montgomery:

I’ve only read these books once before and I wanted to revisit them. I’m usually much more harsh on books the first time I read them and then I like them more the second time around. While I didn’t dislike these works, they didn’t land in my favorites. Upon a second reading, I am finding them quite wonderful. I just added these to my home library in used paperback form. I’m so glad I invested in them.

• Magic for Marigold
• Emily of New Moon (I plan to finish the next two books in this series in May)

Melody Carlson:

I love reading books by Melody Carlson because they remind me of a Hallmark movie. Her stories are simple, sweet, and often fast reads. She has been a go-to author for comfort reading in my life.

• Your Heart’s Desire
• Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel (Dear Daphne Book 1)
• Dating, Dining, and Desperation (Dear Daphne Book 2)
• Home, Hearth, and the Holidays (Dear Daphne Book 3) (Kindle)
• A Will, a Way, and a Wedding (Dear Daphne Book 4) (Kindle)

Roseanna M. White:

Here is where I went a bit crazy! I dove deep into every book I could get my hands on. Some of her books are set in America and span the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. The rest are set in England from Pre-World I into World War I. I enjoyed the books that took place in England most. They reminded me of Downton Abbey. Each book was filled with adventure and romance. They are below listed in the order I read them (which is not in chronological, oops). The books set in England build on each other and you see characters from previous books throughout the novels. I love when an author weaves stories together. It’s like getting a visit from a friend within a book.

• The Number of Love (The Codebreakers Book 1) (Kindle)
• On Wings of Devotion (The Codebreakers Book 2) (Kindle)
• The Lost Heiress (Ladies of the Manor Book 1) (Kindle)
• The Reluctant Duchess (Ladies of the Manor Book 2) (Kindle)
• A Lady Unrivaled (Ladies of the Manor Book 3) (Kindle)
• A Name Unknown (Shadows Over England Book 1) (Kindle)
• A Song Unheard (Shadows Over England Book 2)
• An Hour Unspent (Shadows Over England Book 3)
• A Ring of Secrets (Culper Ring Book 1) (Kindle)
• Fairchild’s Lady (Culper Ring Novella) (Kindle)
• Whispers from the Shadows (Culper Ring Book 2) (Kindle)
• A Hero’s Promise (Culper Ring Novella) (Kindle)
• Circle of Spies (Culper Ring Book 3) (Kindle)
• Dreams of Savannah (Kindle)

Last But Not Least:

• Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price – This was Courty’s Book Club fiction pick for April. It was interesting to read Pride and Prejudice as a murder mystery. I enjoyed the spin on this classic. It’s book one in a Jane Austin Murder Mystery series. I will keep my eye out for the next in the series.

• Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely by Lysa TerKeurst – I read this book with my MOPS & MOMSnext group. We did our first book club this month. I was a little nervous when they voted for this book because the topic seemed heavy. I figured it would bring up all sorts of feels. Overall, I found this book had good takeaways for many different forms of rejection. The Scripture and Biblical perspective on self-worth were positive reminders on how to lived loved.
• The Light In Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron – This book tells the story of a teenage girl during World War II in Poland. She boards with a Jewish family and works in their shop until the war tears their world apart. Based on a true story, this book is moving and inspiring. I found myself deeply engaged in the characters and their survival. This was a book club pick for Courty’s Book Club.
• The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield – This book was a Courty’s Book Club pick. The direction this book took went many different ways. At first I thought it was about neighborhood hospitality then I thought it would be about fostering/adoption and then it dove into loving the LGBTQ community. The author’s life has been a testament to hospitality in many forms and to many people.
• Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good, Come Rain or Shine, To Be Where You Are by Jan Karon – These three books wrap up the Mitford Series and my journey with Father Tim. Jan Karon saved her best books for last. I adored the conclusion of this series, but was so sad to leave Mitford and the characters I have come to know and love. This 14 books series was slow to start, but the reward for making it to the end was worth it!
• That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby by Annie F. Downs – The title of this book had me hooked. When I got the boys their 3rd quarter of school completion reward, I picked this up as a reward for their teacher. As an Ennegram 7, Annie is all about fun. In health, Enneagram 1’s move toward the positive traits in the Enneagram 7. Enneagram 7’s literally help me move toward being my best self. When it comes to being an amateur and having a hobby, these are things that I have recently seen great benefit from and I wanted to read more about the topic. Annie’s essays are honest, encouraging, and fun.
• Pat of Silver Bush & Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery – I love sprinkling a little Montgomery throughout each month. Prince Edward Island is my home away from home in the book world. I return there often. The more I visit the world of Patricia Gardiner, the more I love her, her home, and her people. Pat has a deep love of her home and her greatest hope is that things never change. I might not feel quite as deeply as Pat, but she is so relatable!

1. Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery – During the snow days, I wanted some light reading. Visiting Prince Edward Island through the pen of L.M. Montgomery is always a favorite. Jane is one of my favorite Montgomery characters. She is industrious, learns to stand up for herself, and she reunites her parents. It’s a heartwarming tale.
2. Where is the Water? by Diana E. Greene – I own this book so I included it in the picture for the month, but I “read” this book through the audiobook version this month. I know the author personally and she offered me a free copy of the audiobook for a honest review on Amazon. I enjoyed hearing this book through Diana’s own voice. It’s a quick read/listen. It’s encouraging for those who desire a Spirit-led life.
3. All the Feels: Discover Why Emotions Are (Mostly) Awesome and How to Untangle Them When They’re Not by Elizabeth Laing Thompson – This was a book club read. After doing a deep dive into the Enneagram last month, I felt this book was a good follow-up. While I don’t view myself as an overly emotional person, I do tip closer to emotional verses unemotional. Processing emotions and giving them a proper place in our life is an important thing to process.
4. Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans – This was the last book by this author that I had yet to read. Her life and unexpected passing in 2019 had a profound impact on me. While I don’t always draw the same conclusions as Evans, I appreciate how she processed her childhood faith/church culture and found a way to keep her faith through doubts and earnest questioning. She was an excellent writer and conveyed yourself as a friend.
5. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang – A friend let me borrow this book and informed me that it was intense. She was right! Wow! It’s a thick book with small font and the content is heavy. While it was difficult to read, I appreciate how it opened my eyes to Chinese history from the personal perspective of the author and her family.
6. Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. Montgomery – This book is quick read, but a lovely story. After reading Wild Swans, the snow days called for sweet tales from Prince Edward Island.
7. In the Company of Others by Jan Karon – I’ve been stalled in reading the Father Tim/Mitford books because I was waiting for this book from the library. I did a happy dance when this book was finally available. I have three more books in this series and I have genuinely enjoyed journeying alongside Father Tim. His people and his town have become friends of mine.

1. Didn’t See That Coming: Putting Life Back Together When Your World Falls Apart by Rachel Hollis – I’ll be honest, I read this book more out of curiosity than self-growth. I wanted to know Rachel’s take on grief and putting your life back together. As someone who has walked through a season of rebuilding, I could relate to many of the topics and encouragements covered in this book. It’s a quick read and one worth looking into when walking through a difficult time.
2. All Things Reconsidered: How Rethinking What We Know Helps Us Know What We Believe by Knox McCoy – (Courty’s Book Club: Non-Fiction)* The depth of topics covered varied, but throughout the book was humor and wisdom. As I grow older, I have reconsidered many things. Sometimes my thoughts/opinions stay true to my original beliefs and sometimes, they change through time/perspective. Reconsideration is a healthy way to give your beliefs system a tune up. Also, I loved all the Hamilton (the musical) references throughout the book. And the conclusion (based on Hamilton) was my favorite chapter!
3. The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds – (Courty’s Book Club: Fiction)* This novel is about a high school senior who enters a time loop to save his girlfriend from dying. It was interesting to see how his choices changed the outcome of each time loop. It’s no surprise that I enjoy new-to-me novels. It was refreshing to read a story that I didn’t know the ending to and this one keeps you wondering right up to the end.
4. Get Out of Your Own Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen – I purchased this book based on the recommendation of a friend (and because Amazon kept suggesting it to me). As an Enneagram Type One, I live with an inner critic that is always telling me what I’m doing wrong or what I should be doing better. This voice isn’t my friend, so I am thankful for voices like Jennie’s who remind me who I am in Christ. This book is a mindset overhaul and an excellent resource.
5. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow – My appreciation for Hamilton (the musical) has deepened since I first watched it. I thought it would be interesting to read the biography that inspired the musical. Little did I know that the biography was 800 pages of small font! It wasn’t a quick read and some parts went over my head, but it was so good! Hamilton’s childhood in the Caribbean and his rise to success in America were astounding. The political climate of our young nation and the battles printed in the newspapers have such parallels to our current times. I don’t read biographies often, but I’m always moved by them when I do. There is so much to learn from the lives of others.
6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – A friend let me borrow this book. She said it was one of her favorites, but she admitted that it was a bit on the New Age side (which it totally was). This novel is more like a parable which when sifted through did offer some good wisdom and insight. The discussion my friend and I had about the book afterward was an insightful conversation.
7. The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done by Kendra Adachi – The second I started reading this book, I knew I was going to love it’s message. If I have friends who come to me with burnout and struggling to do it all, I will recommend this book. I already practice many of the principles in this book, but it is such a good reminder to invest in what matters most to you and let the other stuff fall away. You can’t do everything so do the things that matter!
8. Turn the Page: How to Read Like a Top Leader (LIFE Leadership Essentials Series) – A friend let me borrow this book. It reminded me of my high school and college years when I took notes in the margins and highlighted in all my books. I’ve gotten out of that habit. It was a good reminder on how to engage with books in a way that you learn and grow. I am guilty of flying through books, but am I letting their wisdom change me and improve my life? It’s a good question to ask.
9. Take Care of Your Type : An Enneagram Guide to Self-Care by Christina S. Wilcox – This book came recommend by someone I follow on Instagram. I love the Enneagram and I wanted to take a deep dive into self-care, but I also wanted to be aware of other types need for self-care so I can be an advocate for them.
10. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery – An author I follow shared that this was her favorite L.M. Montgomery novel and I didn’t believe it could be better than Anne. After reading it, I have to agree. It’s my favorite now too! The heroine, Valancy, breaks out of her oppressive family and decides to finally live life to the fullest because she is told she has a year to live. The life that she discovers over that year is beautiful.
11. The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile – After reading about Enneagram self-care, I wanted to refresh myself with all the types a little further. I’ve read many books on the Enneagram, but this is my favorite introduction to the topic. It’s filled with humor, insight, and hope. It is an excellent Enneagram resource and one I am sure to consult again and again.
12. Kind Is The New Classy: The Power of Living Graciously by Candance Cameron Bure – A friend commented on enjoying this book, so I picked it up from the library. I enjoyed learning more about Candance’s faith journey and how she’s made kindness her main thing because it brings glory to God. As someone who grew up watching Full House, enjoyed Fuller House on Netflix, and is a Hallmark movie junkie, it was interesting to pull the curtain back on an actress I enjoy.
13. Love Finds You in Annapolis, MD by Roseanna M. White – I forgot to include this one in the picture above. Oops. This historical fiction takes place right after the Revolutionary War. It’s a Christian romance novel, but it also touches on injustices of the time – like slavery and the treatment of Tories after the war. This novel is a good example of not judging a book by it’s cover. Also, the plot went a different direction than I expected at first. I love being surprised by a novel.

* A staff member at our church has started a book club on Instagram. Since I am a book lover and always looking for new books to read, I thought I would give it a try. Each month will feature a fiction and non-fiction read.