Amy Scott's Thoughts

Bookish Thoughts for October

As you can tell from my last few posts, October has been a full month for our family. So many good times, celebrations, and fun adventures. My book list this month definitely reflects that my time was spent elsewhere this month (and that’s okay). September turned out to have extra time at home and my book list was longer than I expected. October had less time at home, therefore, less books read. I’m optimistic that November will fall somewhere in the middle, but we’ll see.

I decided to re-read Wuthering Heights this month. It had the right vibes for October – spooky, suspenseful, chilly, and dreary. I read Wuthering Heights as a high school student and strongly disliked it. I wanted to see if Adult Amy would feel the same way as Teen Amy. While I wasn’t scandalized by the book like I was the first time I read it, I also didn’t warm to it. I kept thinking about how much therapy Heathcliff would need to be a healthy person. I did like the ending, though. There was a whole lot of melodramatic non-sense to get to it, but once it arrived, I was happy with the conclusion. I’ll confess it took me much longer than I wanted to get through the book and that is partly to blame for the shorter book list this month. Wuthering Heights hijacked my reading flow. I started The Tenant of Windfell Hall this week. I’ve read Emily, I’ve read Charlotte, and I plan to read Anne so I can say I’ve read something by all three Bronte sisters.

On to the books I really enjoyed this month!!! The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin was a well-written WWII novel about a Polish librarian who saved books that were being banned and destroyed. Martin’s WWII novels have become a must-read for me. I highly recommend them. At the recommendation of a friend, I started the Timeless series by Gabrielle Meyer. I flew through the first three books and I’m eagerly waiting for the fourth to be released next month. Each books features characters who live in two timelines. They live one day in one and wake up in the other. At a certain age (either 21 or 25), they must decide which path to live in and they leave the other path permanently. It was neat to read two historical timelines in one book. I enjoyed the suspense of finding out which path the character would choose. This series was the highlight of my reading month!

You’ll notice my non-fiction reading was non-existent this month. I have a friend who is going to do a book swap with me soon. She’ll get some fiction from me and I’ll get some non-fiction from her. Hopefully that will pull me out of my non-fiction dry spell! Maybe there will be more diversity in next month’s book list!

Top Pick 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.

• The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin – 4 stars
• When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• For A Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer – 4 stars
• The Match by Sarah Adams – 3 stars
• Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams – 3 stars
• Spectacular by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
• That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
• Britta & the Beach Boy by Brittany Larsen – 3 stars
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – 2 stars

Bookish Thoughts for September

It’s been a very fictional fall for me! I’ve been in book heaven with so many new releases this month. It seems like each week I’m looking forward to a new book! This month, I enjoyed new Christmas novellas from Melody Carlson and Roseanna M. White. I couldn’t wait for the Christmas season to read them. I had to start them right away! When I wasn’t reading a new release, I was filling my time by binge reading Kasey Stockton’s regency romances. The regency era isn’t my favorite genre, but it was nice to mix things up and camp out there for a while. A big thanks to Kasey Stockton for filling my September!

A good chunk of my month has been quiet and around the house. My husband’s work schedule shifted and hunting season started at the same time. For a couple of weeks it felt like Jeremy was only eating and sleeping at home. In his absence, I became the parent that held down the fort at home. The boys did join Jeremy out hunting a few times which meant I got extra time to read. I’ve been playing those cozy (aka cheesy) YouTube videos with falling leaves, crackling fires, and soft piano music while I snuggle in with a good book. September has definitely been my month to stay home with my nose in a book. Not a bad way to welcome my favorite season of the year!

Top Picks for September

The Book List for September
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:

• House Rules: How to Decorate for Every Home, Style, and Budget by Myquillyn Smith – 3 stars
• At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor by Carey Nieuwhof – 5 stars
• How to Walk into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away by Emily P. Freeman – 2.5 stars

Fiction:

• When in Rome by Sarah Adams – 3 stars
• Don’t Go Faking My Heart by Kate Watson – 3 stars (new release)
• Once Upon a Boyband by Jenny Proctor – 3 stars (new release)
• West of Port by Carina Taylor – 3 stars (new release)
• Finding Jack by Melanie Jacobson – 4 stars
• Reel Love by Savannah Scott – 3 stars (new release)
• The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carlson – 3 stars (new release)
• Christmas at Sugar Plum Manner by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars (new release)
• Sensibly Wed by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• Pleasantly Pursued by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• Honorably Engaged by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
• Properly Kissed by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• A Noble Inheritance by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• To Forge Her Fate by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• A Proper Governess by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars (new release)
• Journey to Bongary Spring by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• Through the Fairy Tree by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• The Enemy Across the Loch by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for August

My book list this month is super long! There are a few reasons for this, so let me explain. (1) I was home alone while my family was at summer camp and I had extra time to read. (2) My boys came home from summer camp with colds and we had four days of cancelled plans to spend at home. (3) Our beach vacation was very chill with plenty of time to read. (4) Many of the books listed are under 300 pages, which means I can read them in just a few hours. All of these factors combined into a very bookish month! I’m not complaining! (Okay, it would have been nice to not have summer colds, but… other than that, I’m not complaining.)

Highlights from this very bookish month would be binge reading Katie Bailey and Marie Soleil. I really enjoyed The Midnight Princess by Kiera Dominguez which was a reverse Princess Diaries – the prince gets the makeover and learns how to be royal. It’s been ages since I read a regency romance so I enjoyed the change of genre with Sarah Adams and Kasey Stockton’s novels. Courtney Walsh is a favorite of mine and her new release, The Summer of Yes, was the perfect beach read while on vacation.

Another highlight of the month has been my new study Bible (pictured below). I loved using the NLT Filament Bible journals to study the gospels these last few months. I wanted the Filament app content for the whole Bible so I bought a new Bible to accomplish that. I’ve used it to read the Book of Acts and I’m now into Romans. I love way the Filament app enhances my Bible study, especially the videos from The Bible Project. Plus, this Bible is super pretty. I love my new beautiful and nerdy Bible!

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:

• NLT Filament Bible Journal: The Gospel of John – 5 stars
• 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
• Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You by Monica Swanson – 4 stars

Fiction:

• The Midnight Princess by Kiera Dominguez – 4 stars
• Stay Close by Kiera Dominguez – 3 stars
• So That Happened by Katie Bailey – 3 stars
• I Think He Knows by Katie Bailey – 3 stars
• Resorting to Romance by Savannah Scott – 3 stars
• Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery – 4 stars
• To Con a Gentleman by Sarah Adams – 4 stars
• To Catch a Suitor by Sarah Adams – 3 stars
• But He’s My Roommate by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• Speak Your Truth by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• Feel the Rhythm by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• Let Love In by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• Take a Chance by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• Cookies & Kisses by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• Love is a Roller Coaster by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• Exceptional Emma by Marie Soleil – 4 stars
• The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh – 4 stars
• Love in the Bargain by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• Love for the Spinster by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• Love at the House Party by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
• Love in the Wager by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
• Love in the Ballroom by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
• A Groom of One’s Own by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Runaway Bride & Prejudice by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for July

There was plenty of light and fluffy summer reading this month, but… I took a detour and spent time with some wonderful parenting books. Being in children’s ministry (and being a homeschool mom), I’m always looking for books to recommend. From Monica Swanson to Sally Clarkson to Cindy Rollins, I learned so much this month. All of these women have raised grown children and have written down their experiences and wisdom. I am so thankful for their voices! Also, Monica and Sally have invited their children to share (and for Monica, her husband as well) their family story has well. I love when families collaborate on books. Not only to do see one side of their family, but we get to see the layers of family experience. It’s a powerful testimony!

Fiction highlights of the month were the Sweet as Sugar Maple series by Kate Watson and The Falling for Summer series (by various authors) with all it’s beachy vibes. I re-read the Caraval series and the Once Upon a Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber. These have all been fun summer reads. I’ve enjoyed meeting new characters along with revisiting familiar faces. I love new books, but I will always be a re-reader as well! Summer reading in July has definitely been a good mix.

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.

Non-Fiction:

• Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him by Sally Clarkson and Nathan Clarkson – 4 stars
• Mere Motherhood: Morning Times, Nursery Rhymes, & My Journey Toward Sanctification by Cindy Rollins – 4 stars
• Raising Amazing: Bringing Up Kids Who Love God, Like Their Family, and Do the Dishes without Being Asked by Monica Swanson – 5 stars
• Becoming Homeschoolers: Give Your Kids a Great Education, a Strong Family, and a Life They’ll Thank You for Later by Monica Swanson – 4 stars
• NLT Filament Bible Journal: Luke – 5 stars

Fiction:

• Strawberry Fields for Never by Kate Watson – 4 stars
• Baby Llama Drama by Kate Watson – 4 stars
• It’s Always Sonny by Kate Watson – 3 stars
• Love and Treasure by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
• Caraval by Stephanie Garber – 4 stars
• Legendary by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
• Finale by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
• Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
• The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber – 4 stars
• A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
• Summer Tease by Martha Keyes – 3 stars
• Beauty and the Beach by Gracie Ruth Mitchell – 3 stars
• One Happy Summer by Becky Monson – 3 stars
• The Roommate Situation by Katie Bailey – 3 stars
• The Neighbor War by Katie Bailey – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for June

I have Kindle Unlimited again!!! You know what that means? A summer filled with rom-coms! I’ve been patiently waiting for months, letting a hoard of new releases stack up so I could binge read all my favorite rom-com authors this summer. It’s been so much fun! Especially since many of them are beach and summer themed! It’s the perfect time of year to be well-stocked with easy, peasy summer reads.

Highlights from this month include Neighbors Like That by Carina Taylor and The Quit List by Katie Bailey. I own a couple of Miralee Ferrell’s “Love Finds You In” books and was surprised to discover she had works on Kindle Unlimited. I completed her wild west series and then read her contemporary Amish series. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book set in Amish country! Both of her series’ were a break from my usual. It’s always fun to diversify!

When it comes non-fiction, I’m still loving my NLT Filament Bible Journals. I finished Mark this month and I’m on to Luke now. I hope to get a Filament Bible in future so I’ll have access to the whole Bible using the Filament app. The extra content is so useful for studying the Bible deeper. It’s been a great tool for me the last couple of the months. I’ve been spending my time with Sally Clarkson and her family this month. I finished Giving Your Words: The Lifegiving Power of a Verbal Home for Family Faith Formation by Sally & Clay Clarkson. I’m currently reading Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him by Sally & Nathan Clarkson. Their family is such an inspiration to me!

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:

• Giving Your Words: The Lifegiving Power of a Verbal Home for Family Faith Formation by Sally & Clay Clarkson – 4 stars
• NLT Filament Bible Journal: Mark – 5 stars

Fiction:

• His Mistletoe Miracle by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
• Royally Rearranged by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Royal Gone Rogue by Emma St. Clair – 4 stars
• Betting on the Brainiac by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
• The Perfect Putt by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• Betrothal or Breakaway by Leah Brunner – 3 stars
• Enemies in Paradise by Brittany Larsen – 3 stars
• Summer Ever After by Kortney Keisel – 3 stars
• Catch a Wave by Savannah Scott – 3 stars
• The Quit List by Katie Bailey – 4 stars
• That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
• Runaway Romance by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
• Follow Your Heart by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
• Plus One at an Amish Wedding by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
• Love Finds You in Tombstone, Arizona by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
• Beachy Keen by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
• Plotting Summer by Jess Heileman – 3 stars
• Neighbors Like That by Carina Taylor – 4 stars
• Friends Like These by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
• Vacations Like This by Carina Taylor – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for May

May started with a deep, deep dive! I discovered the NLT Filament Bible Journal: Matthew and fell in love with it! I appreciate the format of the Bible on one side and a journal page on the other. It has plenty of space for notes and thoughts to be written down. The support of commentary, devotionals, and The Bible Project videos through the Filament app has been a game changer for my quiet time. Instead of reading my Bible and checking it off the daily to-do list, I’m actually studying it and the resources are so neatly sorted using this app.

At the same time I started studying Matthew, I also started the Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard. A few of my favorite authors love Willard, so I thought it was time I read some of his work. This book’s foundation was the “Sermon on the Mount” so it fit well with my time in Matthew. Let me tell you, I wasn’t quite ready for Dallas Willard! The book was double in length of most non-fiction works and the chapters took one-two hours each to read. While his theology was approachable, the content was meaty. This book made my brain work overtime! I was also on a time crunch to finish the book before our Yellowstone road trip. (I don’t read weighty books on trips. I only read fluff when I travel.) The content with the time constraint was almost too much for me. I will probably read it again when I have space to let the ideas settle more in my soul. Overall, I enjoyed the deep dive into the Bible and theology. I felt like a college kid back at Multnomah Bible College again! It was good to use my brain even though it was work!

After a big week of deep reading, I went to the shallow end of the reading pool. I’ve been re-reading fluffy, comfort books for the rest of the month! I enjoyed reading a book set in Montana while staying in Montana. Angela Ruth Strong’s “Resorting to Love” series was the perfect travel read. A big chunk of May was spent traveling, recovering from traveling, and wrapping up the last few weeks of school. My mind needed reading as a mental break – thus, all the “Love Finds You In” books this month. They are not rocket science, but they were just what my mind needed to rest during this busy month. As you know, I love re-reading my home library!

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:

• The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God by Dallas Willard – 4 stars
• Chasing the Dragon: One Woman’s Struggle Against the Darkness of Hong Kong’s Drug Dens by Jackie Pullinger – 4 stars
• NLT Filament Bible Journal: Matthew – 5 stars

Fiction:

• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester – 3 stars
• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown – 3 stars
• Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho by Angela Ruth – 3 stars
• Finding Love in Big Sky, Montana by Angela Ruth Strong – 4 stars
• Finding Love in Park City, Utah by Angela Ruth Strong – 4 stars
• Finding Love in Eureka, California by Angela Ruth Strong – 4 stars
• Finding Love in Seaside, Oregon by Angela Ruth Strong – 3 stars
• Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming by Miralee Ferrell – 4 stars
• Loves Finds You in Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell – 4 stars
• Once Upon a Summertime by Melody Carlson – 3 stars
• All Summer Long by Melody Carlson – 4 stars
• Under a Summer Sky by Melody Carlson – 3 stars
• Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island by Susan Page Davis – 3 stars
• Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
• There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones – 5 stars

Bookish Thoughts for April

I’ve spent the last few months stocking up on books I thought I would read again. I am a re-reader by nature. Books become my friends and hold a special place in my heart. I love to re-visit places and characters. To prove to myself I would re-read my recent purchases, I gave quite a bit of time to re-reading favorites this month. As much as I love reading new books, there is something comforting about curling up with a familiar book. My top picks for April are all books you’ve seen here before, but I couldn’t help myself. They are 5 star reads, in my humble opinion!

My new release reads this month were But He’s My Fake Fiancé, Romancing the Grump, and Just for the Summer. I’ve really enjoyed Annah Conwell’s “But He’s a Carter Brother” series. I can’t wait to see how she concludes the series. I also decided to tackle some books that have been sitting on my shelf for a while – The Screwtape Letters and Habits of Grace. I’m prone to book guilt if a book sits too long without being read. After watching all the movies, I pre-read How to Train Your Dragon before passing it along to Owen. I love that pre-reading books gives me a chance to read kid lit. Owen has loved The Phantom Tollbooth this month, so I’ve promised him I’ll make it my next read.

I’m already curating my books and making a plan for my May reads. I’m excited for yet another month of good books and inspiring reads coming soon!

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:

• The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah MacKenzie – 5 stars
• I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel – 5 stars
• Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines by David Mathis – 3 stars

Fiction:

• How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell – 2.5 stars
• The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis – 3 stars
• The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery – 5 stars
• The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin – 4 stars
• Love Finds Your in Annapolis, MD by Roseanna M. White – 5 stars
• Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• Just for the Summer by Melody Carlson – 3 stars
• Hello Stranger by Katherine Center – 4 stars
• But He’s My Fake Fiancé by Annah Conwell – 4 stars
• The One with the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel – 4.5 stars
• Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor – 3 stars
• Falling for Your Best Friend’s Twin by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Falling for Your Boss by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Falling for Your Fake Fiancé by Emma St. Clair – 4 stars
• Falling for Your Best Friend by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Falling for Your Enemy by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for March

You’ll notice some themes or common groupings amongst the books I read this month. The first centering on C.S. Lewis. I finished Surprised by Joy last month and wrapped up my book club for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at the beginning on March. I picked up a copy of Once Upon a Wardrobe from the library and it was the perfect book to follow-up the previous two I mentioned. It was a work of fiction that summarized Surprised by Joy beautifully and the focus of a young boy on the inspiration for Narnia was enchanting. Spoiler Alert: The book is sad, but also beautiful. I hope to add it to my home library someday! It’s one I can see myself reading again.

The next group revolves around Jane Austen. I have a confession to make… I like Jane Austen things much more than I like reading Jane Austen books. A movie based off her books? Sign me up. A book based off of her books? Yes, please. I feel guilty I didn’t actually read any Austen this month, but I loved reading books inspired by her work. Both The Austen Escape and Austenland feature destination vacations where the characters are immersed in the world of Austen. Curiosity got the best of me and I watched the movie version of Austenland. Of course, the book was much better. I also watched Persuasion (2022) on Netflix.

Both Katherine Reay and Roseanna M. White had new releases this month. (The Berlin Letters for Reay and A Noble Scheme for White.) This inspired me to reread some favorites by these authors. I read Yesterday’s Tides by White last month and I decided to find her main character’s minor role in The Codebreakers series. I love it when authors overlap their worlds and I find familiar characters making appearances. Reay and White are go-to authors for me. If they write it, I will read. It was a treat to have new releases from both of them this month!

The final bookish highlight of my month was a Goodwill book haul! A friend invited me on a kid-free shopping adventure to look for books at Goodwill. So many friends share their Goodwill finds and I’m always envious. I tried to book shop there once, but I had my whole family in tow and I just couldn’t focus. It was a total bust. Apparently, going kid-free was what I needed to succeed. The funny thing is I only purchased kids books. So even without my kids, it was still all about them. It’s always satisfying to get a good deal on a huge stack of books!

Top Picks for March

The Book List for March
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:

• Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith by Sarah Bessey – 2 stars
• The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon – 4 stars

Fiction:

• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis – 5 stars
• Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan – 5 stars
• The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh – 4 stars
• Austenland by Shannon Hale – 4 stars
• The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown – 3 stars
• A Groom of One’s Own by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay – 4 stars
• The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay – 4 stars
• The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay – 4 stars
• A Noble Scheme by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars

P.S. Happy Easter! He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

First off, Happy Leap Day! Or Happy Leap Year Day!? I’m not sure what the proper title for this extra day is, but I hope you’re enjoying a little extra time this month. February was an exciting book month for me, so let’s dive right in!

I mentioned in a previous blog that I got to visit Powell’s (a Portland, OR bookstore chain) on February 1st. This visit was the catalyst for spending the last of my Christmas/Birthday gift funds on books. I was so happy to pick up a few titles in-person and then I hopped online to finish my shopping expedition. I was able to add a grand total of 12 books to my home library this month. Combine that with January’s 14 books and Decemeber’s 7, my shelves have seen quite a bit of rearranging to make space for new books. The joy of having a birthday so near to Christmas is that I get a lot of goodies all at one time… The downside of having a birthday so near to Christmas is I get a lot of goodies all at one time… and then nothing for a long time. Haha! It’s all good. I won’t be bragging about my book haul next month, but that’s okay. It was fun while it lasted!

My Kindle Unlimited subscription is finished for the time being. Some KU favorites this month were Heidi Lucy Loses Her Mind and Wish You Weren’t Here by Gracie Ruth Mitchell. Both were rom-coms, but with a twist that made them unique. I enjoyed Country Walsh’s new release, My Lucky Charm. Her Holidays with Hart series has been a fun one with more sister to go in the saga. Cinder Luna by Marie Soleil was a creative fairy tale retelling of Cinderella. I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings and can’t wait to read the rest of this new series as it’s released. Waiting for the next book is always so hard!

I finished the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson this month. I really enjoyed how the novella series with Janci Patterson gave a look at what was happening “back home” while Spensa was off on her own intergalactic adventures. The novellas also deepened the side characters stories so you felt more connected with them in the final book, Defiant. I was gifted the first book of the series and decided to buy the rest of the series this month. This YA Sci-Fi series is one I could see my boys enjoying down the road. I love sharing books with them when the time is right!

A few other honorable mentions… I finally read Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis. I picked up a used copy at Powell’s years ago and I’ve felt bad about how long it’s sat on my shelf. There were parts of his story that I didn’t love (boarding school sounded awful!), but parts I really enjoyed. While I am nowhere near as well read as Lewis (understatement), I appreciated how books featured so prominently in his life story. I re-read A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White to refresh myself before her new release, A Noble Scheme, is out. My copy of the book is in the mail and I can’t wait to read it before it’s actual release date. I did a little book scouting and read Adventures with Waffles and Lena, the Sea, and Me by Maria Parr. I enjoyed the tales of childhood in Norway and could see my boys reading them when they are ready for new books. Right now Owen is in a Hardy Boys phase and Graham is obsessed with Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins. We are a household of happy readers!

Top Picks for February

The Book List for February
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:

• Intentional Parenting: Autopilot Is for Planes by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, & Melissa Trevathan – 4
• Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life by C.S. Lewis – 3 stars

Fiction:

• Skyward Flight: Sunreach, ReDawn, Evershore by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson – 4 stars
• Defiant by Brandon Sanderson – 4 stars
• Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr – 3 stars
• Lena, the Sea, and Me by Maria Parr – 4 stars
• But He’s My One Regret by Annah Conwell – 4 stars
• The Love Audit by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• One More Song by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• Out of Office by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• The Last Taste by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• One Last Play by Annah Conwell – 4 stars
• The Golden Goal by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
• Heidi Lucy Loses Her Mind by Gracie Ruth Mitchell – 3 stars
• Wish You Weren’t Here by Gracie Ruth Mitchell – 3 stars
• Cinder Luna by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
• My Lucky Charm by Courtney Walsh – 3.75 stars
• A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White – 5 stars