Amy Scott's Thoughts

Bookish Thoughts for September

September has been an eclectic reading month. A little bit of this and that. My brain froze in the middle of the month, so I’m very much in denial that September is over. I’m not entirely ready to put my bookish thoughts into print quite yet… but here I go! The highlights of my month were finishing The Twilight Saga, re-reading the first two books in The Chronicles of Narnia (I’m currently working on book three), and enjoying all the new releases I’d been stocking piling in Kindle Unlimited. I also snagged a new release Christmas novella from the library, because I will read Christmas books any month of the year! Why not?

Top Picks for September

My top picks this month are re-reads you’ve seen on my blog before. I decided that September was a good month to refresh myself with the concepts from The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer. It’s a 5 star book for me and the whole book could be my mantra. Starting the school year with a recommitted vision of margin, rest, and health seems wise.

My non-fiction top pick was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Narnia always wins. It will always be my top pick. Owen is flying through the series and just started The Last Battle yesterday. It’s been a joy to watch him fall in love with the books and it’s been fun to read the same series as him at the same time.

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:

• The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie – 4 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

Fiction:

• Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer – 3 stars
• Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer – 4 stars
• Life and Death by Stephanie Meyer – 3 stars
• Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer – 3 stars
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis – 5 stars
• Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis – 5 stars
• Austenland by Shannon Hale – 4 stars
• Midnight at Austenland by Shannon Hale – 3 stars
• The Lost Husband by Katherine Center – 3 stars
• The Brightside of Disaster by Katherine Center – 3 stars
• Just Don’t Fall by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Fall Back Plan by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
• Can’t Help Falling by Courtney Walsh – 3 stars
• Faking the Fall by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
• How to Kiss a Movie Star by Jenny Proctor – 3 stars
• Flirtation or Face-Off by Leah Brunner – 3 stars
• A Cross-Country Wedding by Courtney Walsh – 3 stars
• A Royal Christmas (novella) by Melody Carlson – 4 stars

Bookish Thoughts for August

Summer reading vibes continue into August! Still no non-fiction for me. I’m too busy getting lost in stories. I told myself I would mix it up and add some diversity to my reading in September. I have a couple non-fiction books on my TBR, but I’ll admit I’d rather read novels. I have quite a few novels on my TBR this fall. Lots of new releases that are singing their siren songs my direction.

The theme of my reading this month was quick and easy! I selected certain books knowing I could enjoy them quickly. It was a busy month with lots of travel. I certainly wanted to read, but I needed books that wouldn’t demand too much of me. Thus, I started the month re-reading The Love Comes Softly series. Every time I pick up this series, it’s like visiting old friends. I also selected Jane of Lantern Hill and Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery for the same reason. Quick visits with old friends.

My new release reads this month were A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White and Hello Stranger by Kathrine Center. I enjoyed both immensely. I received A Beautiful Disguise before it’s release date. That always feels like a special treat! It was the perfect book to dive into between trips. I came home from Canada and jumped into Hello Stranger. I figured out the plot twist early on and was delighted to watch it all unfold.

For my current reads, I’m working through the Twilight series. I realize I’m over a decade late to the game here, but after multiple recommendations, I finally decided to give the books a try. I’m halfway through the series and I’m enjoying it more than I expected. Twilight was one of the those trends I didn’t touch because I wasn’t sure it was “bad” back in the day. I’ve become more adventurous in my reading life over the last few years and now I chuckle as I’m reading the books. So far, I’ve been totally fine with the content. I’m looking forward to finishing the series and the companion books.

What am I excited to read this fall? Seven of my favorite independent authors have created a series together called Sweater Weather. It’s seven books all fall-themed in a fictional town that promises to have Stars Hallow vibes (Gilmore Girls). A new book will released each week and the first came out today. I plan to read them in Kindle Unlimited, so I’m strategizing on when to re-subscribe. I want to be able to read them all in one billing month. I’m a frugal book addict.

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.

• Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Love’s Enduring Promise by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Love’s Long Journey by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Love’s Abiding Joy by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Love’s Unending Legacy by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Love’s Unfolding Dream by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Love Takes Wing by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Love Finds a Home by Janette Oke – 4 stars
• Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery – 4 stars
• Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery – 4 stars
• I’ll Be Yours – Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
• A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• Hello Stranger by Katherine Center – 4 stars
• Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay – 5 stars
• Twilight by Stephanie Meyer – 3 stars
• New Moon by Stephanie Meyer – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for July

I’ve been in summer reading mode! What does that mean exactly? Lots of re-reading my home library and fiction only. I decided to re-read The Lunar Chronicles and The Hunger Games series. I loved The Lunar Chronicles the first time I read them and it was a good time to read them again. I’ve read The Hunger Games numerous times, but not recently, so it felt like time to revisit Katniss in Panem. (Note: I did not re-read the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It was not my favorite. I’ll probably give it another go before the movie premieres this fall.) July was a month of dental appointments, travels, and lots of hosting. I wanted to stick to stories I knew well so I could pick them up and put them down easily. I did read a few new to me books, but they are were light reads. My book photo for the month summarizes my monthly reading vibe!

The Ladies of the Manor series by Roseanna M. White was a re-read with Downton Abbey feels. Roseanna M. White is a favorite of mine for historical fiction! She has a new release coming out in August and it’s the start of a new series. I can’t wait! I re-visited all three books about the Sinclair siblings by Jenny B. Jones. I also figured it was time to give The Bodyguard another read. I enjoyed it last summer and felt it was the right summer reading vibe for this month. I didn’t love the ending of Husband Auditions the first time I read it, so I decided to reevaluate if I judged it too harshly. Now that I knew how the book ended, I found I was able to enjoy it more the second-time around. Utilizing my home library with familiar stories was the perfect strategy for reading during this busy month.

(Content Warning: I personally feel that The Lunar Chronicles, The Hunger Games, and The Bodyguard are more PG-13 in content. I would suggest doing trigger warning or content warning research before taking these recommendations. The other books mentioned are much more PG.)

Summer Reading with the Scott Boys

Graham selected a Wild Kratts book for his August book of the month. Owen is waiting to shop for his August book while we travel next month. Owen and I finished our current read-aloud today – Ember’s End. It was the final book in The Green Ember series and it was bittersweet to see the tale come to a close. We plan to start The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as our next read-aloud and I’m so excited!!! I can’t wait to introduce Owen to Narnia. We’ve discussed after finishing the book how we can watch the movie and compare. I’m thrilled to share something I love so much with him!

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.

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer – 4 stars
• Scarlet by Marissa Meyer – 4 stars
• Cress by Marissa Meyer – 4 stars
• Winter by Marissa Meyer – 4 stars
• Upping the Ante by Emma St. Clair (novella) – 3 stars
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – 5 stars
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins – 5 stars
• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins – 5 stars
• The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• A Lady Unrivaled by Roseanna M. White – 4 stars
• Are We There Yet? by Savannah Scott – 3 stars
• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center – 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
• Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong – 4 stars
• Ember’s End by S.D. Smith – 4 stars

Bookish Thoughts for June

Hello Summer Reading! I beat my January total of 21 books with 22 this month. Before you get too impressed, I didn’t beat January’s page total, though. I was able to get through so many books this month because many of them were short. Sometimes I like to wade through longer books and sometimes it’s fun to quickly hop from book to book. Both styles of reading are enjoyable to me. I was given this month of Kindle Unlimited for free and KU greatly influences my reading. I get my fill of rom-coms while I have KU. My subscription will be over in less than I week and I have plans to revisit my home library. The Lunar Chronicles are next on my summer reading list.

Occasionally, I’ll venture out and try a new author. I read Love and Loathing by Gig Blume because it was a Pride and Prejudice retelling. She has a whole series based on Jane Austen. I might explore the rest of the series whenever I get KU again. I read Rook to King by Carina Taylor and that sent me on a binge of her books. I enjoyed that they had a bit more adventure and suspense then the usual KU rom-coms. June was also had new releases from of Emma St. Clair, Courtney Walsh, and Katherine Reay. I love new releases! Such a fun reading month!

Mid-Year Book Stats

• January: 6,484 pages read, 21 books (308 average pages per book)
• February: 5,400 pages read, 21 books (257 average)
• March: 4,045 pages read, 13 books (311 average)
• April: 3,574 pages read, 12 books (297 average)
• May: 5,390 pages read, 15 books (359 average)
• June: 6,029 pages read, 22 books (274 average)
  • 105 books total and on track for my goal of 200 books in 2023

Top Picks for June

Non-Fiction: Like Ice Cream: The Scoop on Helping the Next Generation Fall in Love with God’s Word by Keith Ferrin. I discovered Keith Ferrin’s work over a decade ago when he taught at a children’s ministry conference and then spoke at our church. This book is super short, but very impactful. I’ve read it at lest four times. I plan on teaching a workshop this fall on a similar topic and wanted a content refresher. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Fiction: The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh. This book was so sweet! I couldn’t put it down. Isadora is a lonely researcher who decides to do a study on happiness. Through her experiments she finds friends who become like family and love. There were moments where I was laughing out loud while reading. This is definitely one of my favorites from Courtney Walsh.

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:

• 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Rienke – 3 stars
• How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price – 3 stars
• My Name is Hope: Anxiety, depression, and life after melancholy by John Mark Comer – 4 stars
• The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard Rohr and Andreas Ebert – 4 stars
• Like Ice Cream: The Scoop on Helping the Next Generation Fall in Love with God’s Word by Keith Ferrin – 5 stars

Fiction:

• A Sweethaven Christmas by Courtney Walsh – 3 stars
• A Sweethaven Romance (novella) by Courtney Walsh – 3 stars
• The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh – 4 stars
• Just One Word by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
• Her Last Dance by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
• The Royal’s Best Friend by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
• Betting on the Best Friend’s Brother by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
• The Royal’s Fake Bride by Becca Wilhite – 3 stars
• The Pocket Pair by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
• Ember Rising by S.D. Smith – 3 stars
• A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay – 3 stars
• Love and Loathing by Gigi Blume – 3 stars
• Rook to King by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
• World’s Worst Boyfriend by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
• Mr. HOA By Carina Taylor – 3 stars
• Miss Trailerhood by Carina Taylor – 4 stars
• Forget Me Twice by Carina Taylor – 3 stars

Bookish Thoughts for May

I renewed my subscription to Kindle Unlimited this month and plowed through quite a few new releases from my favorite independent authors! I also dove back into reading through Courtney Walsh’s books. I reread books by Emma St. Clair to prepare for her new June release, The Pocket Pair. All my fiction was in the solid three star camp this month. I liked the books, but none of them were a new favorite. Just good stories to add joy to my day. I only read one non-fiction book this month. I feel a bit guilty about that. I have four non-fiction books on my TBR list at the moment. I’ll try to prioritize them in June. I have a strong pull to stories and it won this month. Since picking my favorites was too difficult this month, I thought I would write a short thought about each book I read.

My boys gave me an Amazon gift card for Mother’s Day and told me it was for books. I ordered two devotionals and a book by John Mark Comer. I’m slowly trying to add all his books to my home library. I’m using The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days alongside my daily quiet time. When I finish, I plan to switch to Bob Goff’s devotional, Live in Grace, Walk in Love: A 365-Day Journey.

The current theme with my boys is birds. Below is their choice for their June books. Additionally, they each spent their own dollars and purchased used books from Thriftbooks this month. They fell in love with the books in the library birding backpack and wanted their own copies. Graham selected Birds of the Puget Sound Region and Owen picked The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, Western Region. They are in a bird nerd phase at the moment. Reference books are always a fun addition to our home library. (Okay, I think most books are a good addition to our home library…)

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:

• Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown PhD. LMSW – 4 stars – Through research and stories, Brown shares how to grow and rise up after challenges and failures. Not an easy topic, but such good insight.

Fiction: All 3 stars

• The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart – Quirky characters and suspenseful adventure.
• Ripped & Shipped by Savannah Scott – The title made me cringe, but it was book 7 in a series and I’m a sucker for reading a whole series. Loved the focus on looking past stereotypes and not letting past prejudice define the future.
• Why Trey Let Me Get Away by Kortney Keisel – A sports romcom. Loved the teammate involvement and acknowledgement of the 5 Love Languages.
• Desire or Defense by Leah Brunner – Another sports romcom. The teammate involvement made the book!
• That Time I Kissed the Groomsman Grump by Julie Christianson – A spin-off of her Apple Valley series. I enjoy reconnecting with characters I’ve met in multiple books.
• Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell – I was drawn to the idea of an author who kept killing off her main characters unintentionally.
• How to Kiss Your Enemy by Jenny Proctor – I enjoy the farm setting in this series and how each book reveals more about the Hawthorne family.
• Kissing for Keeps by Martha Keyes – A follow-up to a Christmas novel I read and the start of a new series.
• Hometown Girl by Courtney Walsh – Small town Hallmark vibes with a kidnapping cold case to solve.
• The Buy-In by Emma St. Clair – First book in the Graham brother’s series, I read it to refresh my memory before the next book comes out in June.
• The Bluff by Emma St. Clair – Second book in the series, same as before.
• Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh – Great focus on forgiveness, honesty, and healing from the past.
• A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh – Finding friendship and family in a small Lake Michigan tourist town.
• A Sweethaven Homecoming by Courtney Walsh – Book two, focuses on forgiveness and coming home to family.

Bookish Thoughts for April

We are a third of the way through 2023! I haven’t shared my page stats with you and I thought this month would be a good time to dive into some book math. I started keeping track of my pages read in January. It’s been interesting to see how my reading life has shifted month to month. Each month, I’ve read less pages, which on paper looks so depressing to me! Instead of looking at this month and being sad that my page total and book total are the lowest to date, I’m deciding to be pleased that I got as much reading into my month while juggling so many other things (holidays, illness, conferences, travel). Here are the stats so far in 2023:

• January: 6,484 pages read, 21 books (308 average pages per book)
• February: 5,400 pages read, 21 books (257 average)
• March: 4,045 pages read, 13 books (311 average)
• April: 3,574 pages read, 12 books (297 average)

I took a break from Kindle Unlimited this month. I plan on re-subscribing in May. I have my eye on half a dozen books in KU. I use KU to read my beloved sweet rom-coms, which usually ups my page and book total. I can fly through those books. After a month without them, I’m excited to have them back in my reading mix. This month was an equal mix of non-fiction and fiction, which doesn’t happen every often. I love non-fiction, but fiction truly has my heart. I’m looking forward to a few good stories coming my way soon. I also hope to work on my To-Be-Read list and finally read a few books that have been sitting on my bookshelf for months. I’m contemplating taking a break from new-to-me books this summer and doing a dive back into The Hunger Games or The Lunar Chronicles. I might give myself a summer vacation with some favorites from the past. We shall see!

In case you’re wondering what my kids are reading right now – it’s all about birds! We’ve stocked up on bird books and flashcards over the last month. Two of the books in the photo below are their books for May. They got them a few days early. It’s fun to see bird books scattered around the house, usually with binoculars and a check list nearby.

Top Picks for April

Non-Fiction: God has a name by John Mark Comer. I’m enjoying reading through the works of John Mark Comer. God has a name is a deep look into Exodus where God shares His name with Moses. Comer unpacks the attributes God uses to describe himself and what that meant not only for Israel, but also us. My minor in college was Biblical Studies, so books like this take me back to the good old days in a classroom studying God’s Word. Knowing what God says about Himself is powerful and it bears reminding that our God has a name. He is a personal God. He is clear on who He is and what He is about!

Fiction: Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland by Roseanna M. White. I’m not 100% sure, but I think this has been my book of the month before. I’m 100% positive I’ve mentioned it before. I’ve read it numerous times. This month it was my “sick” read. When I was down with strep throat, I needed a story I knew and loved to keep me company while I rested. This was the first book I read by Roseanna M. White and it’s still one of my favorites by her. I love Lark’s spirit and the determination of Emerson (the main characters, I’m also a big fan of Lark’s brother, Wiley, as a side character – good side characters make a good book). It’s also historical fiction, which is my next favorite genre after sweet rom-coms. This book was originally published in a series that highlighted stories all over the US (and parts of Canada), but its been republished as A Heart’s Revolution. I know the titles and cover are cheesy, but trust me, it’s a good read!

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.

Fiction:

• Start with Hello: (And Other Simple Ways to Live as Neighbors) by Shannan Martin – 4 stars
• God has a name by John Mark Comer – 4 stars
• Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May – 3 stars
• Eat More Dessert: More than 100 Simple-to-Make & Fun-to-Eat Baked Goods From the Baker to the Stars by Jenny Keller – 4 stars
• Parenting: Getting It Right by Andy & Sandra Stanley – 4 stars
• The God of the Garden: Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom by Andrew Peterson – 4 stars

Non-Fiction:

• The Railway Children by E. Nesbit – 3 stars
• Ember Falls by S.D. Smith – 3 stars
• Still Alice by Lisa Genova – 4 stars
• Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland by Roseanna M. White – 5 stars
• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – 3 stars
• Sheltering Rain by Jojo Moyes – 3 stars