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Showing posts with label Monthly Reads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monthly Reads. Show all posts
Twenty-two books is alot.
Maybe not by some people’s standards, but it’s a good amount of reading for me four months into the year. It also is alot when someone tries to write about twenty-two books all in one post, as I’m doing today.
I intended to write monthly book roundups in 2026, but I should have known better during the school year. Instead of subjecting you to multiple posts of book reviews, I tried to write mini book reviews here. Three or four sentences max. I tried anyway.
Mini Reviews
The Pilgrim’s Regress: Guarding Against Backsliding and Apostasy In The Christian Life by Mark Jones - 5 stars - Jones gently and humbly presents reasons why people may backslide, with very practical advice about how to keep advancing forward in our Christian walk to draw closer to Jesus. I found myself so encouraged to read my Bible more faithfully, work on my prayer life, and turn to the Lord with every failing knowing no one can snatch me out of His hand. Highly recommend if you have been in a spiritually “dry” season and need some encouragement to get back on track.
Broken Bread by Tilly Dillehay - 5 stars - There are so many ways that Christians can fall into sinful “ditches” surrounding food, and Dillehay breaks them down into four categories: Asceticism, Gluttony, Snobbery, and Apathy. I so appreciated her biblical and common-sense encouragement to avoid these attitudes surrounding the table. I didn’t fully agree with her chapter on wine, but it would take some more thinking for me to express what exactly pushed my buttons there. Aside from that, this book was “chef’s kiss”.
How To Read A Book: Advice For Christian Readers by Andrew Naselli - 5 stars - This book gives encouragement for Christians to develop as readers. I most appreciated his breakdown of different ways of reading books - from surveying, macro reading, and micro reading. It was very interesting as a lifelong reader who mostly macro and micro reads to consider that surveying a book can be just as legitimate a way to read.
Leadership and Emotional Sabotage by Joe Rigney - 4 stars - Rigney gives advice to leaders and the pitfalls they may fall into when they try to please everyone or avoid offense at any cost. Valuable advice here, especially for men and pastors since this book is geared more toward them.
Prey by Michael Crichton - 4 stars - When our main character has a chance to visit one of the factories for a product his wife is developing, he jumps on it - only to find that a nano-robot swarm has escaped the factory and is wreaking havoc in the Nevada desert. This story kept me interested from beginning to end. The ending left me feeling conflicted, but I’d still recommend it. Content Notes: Some cussing, some violent or gruesome descriptions, evolutionary explanations throughout.
Timeline by Michael Crichton - 4 stars - A very unique time travel story where the characters go back to the Middle Ages - slower for a Crichton novel, but once I was into it I couldn’t put it down! Content Notes: Some cursing, one character survives by seducing men, violence.
Matched by Allie Condi - 3 stars - This book reminded me of everything I don’t like about the YA genre; too much angst. Content Notes: This book was pretty clean! I can’t recall anything objectionable.
Pretty In Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton - 4 stars - A funny YA in which the main character finds herself reliving the same first day of high school over and over (as in the movie Groundhog Day). Really creative and fun, and made me want to re-watch all the 80s teen movies (which I typically don’t even like). Content Notes: At one point a boy surprises the main character with an unwanted kiss, and grabs her behind.
Live Your Truth And Other Lies by Alisha Childers - 4 stars - I agreed with everything in this book, and think alot of the messages are much needed for Christian women; I found it more of an entry-level book for developing a Christian worldview, so not as helpful for me personally at this point in my life.
Authorized: The Use and Misuse of The King James Bible by Mark Ward - 5 stars - Great book addressing the King-James-only perspective of Bible translations! Very informative, high view of the Bible, and I found it inspiring.
Bad Therapy: Why The Kids Aren’t Growing Up by Abigail Shirer - 4.5 stars - This was a re-listen for me. Shirer explores iatrogenic harm that can come from unnecessary therapy, and how that may be hurting our kids. Just as good as the first time.
Good And Angry by David Powlison - 5 stars - This is the best book I’ve ever read on overcoming unrighteousness anger from a Christian perspective! Highly recommend it for anyone who has ever lost their temper or stuffed angry feelings down.
Vacation Friends by Christy Barritt - 4 stars - A suspense/mystery book in which the main character is traveling with her fiancé, who she plans to breakup with, but then someone is murdered. The main action is interspersed with an alternate storyline with a seemingly unrelated character. It was fun to see how the two tied together in the end! Content Notes:Violence, infidelity and fornication are part of the plot.
After That, The Dark by Andrew Klavan - 3.5 stars - The fifth book in the Cameron Winter series, and one of the best ones so far. Winter unravels an “unsolvable” mystery with a dark tech company at the center. I am enjoying seeing the main character finally overcome some of his demons! Content Notes: This series is not clean, which make them hard to recommend, but I keep reading because I am invested in the characters at this point. Curse words, violence and gruesome deaths, the main character sleeps with his girlfriend in this book (closed door), some descriptions of what goes on in a seedy strip club.
Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare - 4.5 stars - How does one review Shakespeare? Read it with my kids, interesting, sad. Half star only taken off because it’s my second-favorite Shakespeare that I’ve read (I’ve only read two so far). Content notes: Violence, omens, everyone dies in the end.
Anne Of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery - 5 stars - A re-read with my kids. We all love Anne! I think there are some great lessons about life and finding a spouse in this book, so it was timely for my teens, especially.
Squanto, Friend Of The Pilgrims by Clyde Bulla - 4 stars - Read this to my little girls. Great summary of Squanto’s life, and they seemed pretty invested in the story!
The Future Of Everything by William Boekestein - 4 stars - A great summary of different aspects of eschatology that all Christians agree on - the author tipped his hand as more of an amillenial, but I thought he remained pretty neutral while pointing us to the things all Christians can look forward to when Christ returns!
The Chaos Grid by Lyndsey Lewellen - 4.5 stars - A very unique setup for a dystopian fantasy novel. I did think some of the world building was a little fantastical for what is supposed to be set in a future version of our world - if you can suspend your unbelief though, it is quite an interesting story! It only took me until 4/5 of the way through the book to recognize the Jonah analogy. Content Notes: Drug use by villains in the story, one villain threatens to do unlawful things to the main character.
Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean - 4.5 stars - Funny and sweet romance - I think this is classified as YA because the characters are seniors in high school, but a more manageable level of angst made it enjoyable. Content Notes: The female characters note the male character’s “tight end” - hardy-har-har. I feel this would be in poor taste if comments went the other way, so I don’t love when female authors do this.
How To Plot A Payback by Melissa Ferguson - 4.5 stars - A cute romantic comedy on the set of a sitcom. The pacing was just right, and the characters were interesting, with not-too-serious stakes.
The Cinderella Plot by Pepper Basham - 4.5 stars - This was a really sweet YA about a girl who decides she needs a transformation the last year of high school - but then everything starts to go wrong with the people she cares about the most. The messaging was a little redundant through the book, but the plot was good and kept me interested to the end!
Favorite Fiction So Far This Year: Pretty In Punxsutawney, The Chaos Grid, Timeline
Favorite Nonfiction So Far This Year: The Pilgrim’s Regress, Broken Bread, Authorized
What are your favorite books so far this year?
I realized the other day that it’s been months since I did a reading update. Since I have fifteen books I haven’t shared, my goal is to write reviews for four books a week until Christmas. If you are building a reading list for 2026, here is your chance to get some ideas!
I’m titling this one “Light Books With Deeper Themes” because if you read the first three, which are all light in tone, you will find themes of loneliness, friendship, anxiety, and hope.
The last one is not a light book, but each of these book posts will have a wrench thrown in. Just go with it.
Valencia and Valentine by Suzy Krause
I read a different book of Krause a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. This book has been waiting in my Kindle for quite a while now.
In Valencia and Valentine, we are introduced to two characters. One is a young woman, Valencia, who works in a call center, is very socially awkward, and is afraid of everything - basically a young woman who is afraid to live. The other is an old woman, Mrs. Valentine, who lives alone, but loves being around people and finds excuses to talk to others and ways to fill her days with small, meaningful things - an old woman who has learned how to live well.
I thought I knew where this story was going, but about a quarter of the way through I realized I had no idea. As we get further looks at Valencia’s existence we realize how dark and empty it truly is, and for most of the book she stays right there in that darkness. We also start to realize that all is not quite well with Mrs. Valentine.
Just as I started to feel rather uneasy about what was actually going to happen to these two characters, I glimpsed the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. The ending was completely unexpected, slightly tragic, but also happy and sweet. I don’t want to spoil it, so that’s all I’ll say. If you pick this one up, be prepared for the unexpected.
Content Notes: Some discussion of mental health disorders, some disturbing dreams/hallucinations.
Bottom Line: Sweet and sad and a little weird. Pick it up if you don’t mind a little tragedy with your uplifting fiction.
The Happy Life Of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh
I read a Christmas book I did not enjoy by Walsh last year, but I decided to give her another chance and I’m so glad I did. Isadora Bentley reads an article she considers to be ridiculously with 31 ways to be happy. She decides to turn the article into a science experiment in order to debunk the article. Along the way she ends up finding new friends, connecting with a certain professor, and learning how to enjoy life. I thought this was a sweet, uplifting read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Content Notes: One of the things she tries is yoga, and as someone who has convictions against yoga I wasn’t a fan of that. No other notes that I can recall,
Bottom Line: Pick it up if you are in the need of something quirky and light.
The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay
In the 1970s, Lily helps her boss, Diana, plan a new Picasso exhibit at an art museum, but she ruins the opening event by impulsively declaring one of the Picassos a fake. She is immediately put on leave, and is devastated. Not only has she potentially lost her dream job, but her family will suffer from the lost income. She has to find a way to find out what is really going on with that painting, and hopefully save her job and her boss’s reputation, and stay out of jail. But is everything as it seems with her boss? Where did that painting actually come from?
As someone who doesn’t know much about the art world, and also doesn’t like modern art at all, I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Reay did a great job explaining the basics of how museums acquire paintings, and there were interesting explanations about what makes art special as well. The underlying themes of this book are more about friendship, sisterhood, and the value of meaningful relationships. I also really enjoyed the 1970s setting, which I thought was painted well.
Content Notes: Vague references to sexual relationships, but I would consider this a clean book.
Bottom Line: Pick this one up if you like mysteries, museums, and are a tiny bit interested in art.
Midnight In Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
I mentioned in the spring how I had become interested in the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, and this book is a very thorough history of it.
Higginbotham tells the story of what caused the disaster, the initial reaction to it, the efforts to contain the reactor, the effects on the surrounding countryside, and the devastating effects on the men who were sent to work in the danger zone. He also tells how it was finally contained, and some of the research that has been done in the Chernobyl area since the disaster. Despite writing about such a devastating event, I thought the author offered a balanced view of nuclear energy, including the concerns and the benefits.
I learned so much from this book - including that the scientists were initially worried that the reactor, if not contained, would burn down through the earth, perhaps never stopping until it reached the core. Can you imagine? I listened to this book on audio, which I think was the right way for me to read it, because it let me get the information I was interested in without getting too bogged down in the names and details.
Content Notes: Some cursing in various quotes, people die from cancer and related illnesses because of the radiation.
Bottom Line: If you don’t know much about Chernobyl, this is the book to learn about it.
These are books I finished in the early fall, but as I revisit them in writing this review post, I am remembering how much I enjoyed them all. The first three each struck a nice balance between being meaningful and easily readable. And the last one was just fascinating without having to try.
Have you read anything similar this year, with a light tone but deeper underlying themes?
In my extra week of summer, I took some time to finish up books that I have been working on for months. I am one of those people who has 10+ books going at any one time, but every now and then it gets tiresome and I put some concerted effort into reducing my “currently reading” stack.
In addition to the satisfaction of turning the last page, a few of these books were perfect for late summer, because they got me in the mood for the change of the seasons!
Men and Women In The Church by Kevin Deyoung
I read this book because it is on my son’s reading list for the school year, and I wanted to make sure I liked the approach before handing it to him. My conclusion: I think it will be a great one for helping him understand the biblical roles of men and women in a church environment.
Deyoung comes from a complementarian perspective and writes a compelling defense for this biblical position while remaining very readable for the average Christian. His respect for women and their important roles in church also shines through in a refreshing and compassionate way, but he holds fast on the parameters for men and women laid out in Scripture.
When I’m thinking about this book for my son, there is one section on the purposes and differences in men’s and women’s bodies that might be slightly graphic, so I put a sticky note on it to discuss when he reaches that section. Otherwise, I am very glad he will be reading this book. It handles these sticky topics with conviction and grace.
Content Notes: One section discussing sexual differences between men and women.
Bottom Line: Great summary of the biblical role of men and women, and uplifting to both.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
A friend recommended this book to me since she knows I read and appreciated Dracula a few years back. She said it had a very similar vibe to the classic, touching on vampire legends without all the modern indulgence of darkness. I decided to give it a try.
In this book, the main character finds a mysterious book in her father’s library with a print of a dragon holding a banner with “Dracula” written on it. She is curious and asks her father about it. He takes her on travels throughout Europe and starts telling her the story of when he first found that book, and everything that happened after.
Much of the book is epistolary, or written as a story being told in bits, with excerpts from historical documents being thrown in too. The effect of this is that the reader feels they themselves are a bit of a historian, putting the pieces together along with the characters as they research the historical basis for the Dracula legends…and as they start to wonder if there might be truth to them.
The way the book is written is masterful, and I found myself amazed at the amount of research the author must have put into actual historical events and places in order to write this! The travel writing and descriptions of various countries are particularly vivid and made me feel as if I had visited these places myself. I will include a couple things in my content notes below, but this book was so atmospheric and written so beautifully, I couldn’t help but enjoy it.
Content Notes: The characters sometimes mention the occult (in a non-sympathetic way), because Dracula is involved with it as the villain. Some gruesome descriptions of the violence that the historical Dracula committed. Some characters get a little “frisky” (not described).
Bottom Line: If you liked Dracula, this book is in that same vein. Mysterious, doesn’t wallow in the dark, good triumphs over evil.
Two Old Women by Velma Wallis
This is a retelling of an old native Alaskan legend. Two old women are left by their struggling tribe to die in the Arctic Circle. The tribe regrets leaving them, but the women are old and complaining, and they have become a burden for the tribe to support. The women are terrified and heartbroken about being left, but they eventually pick themselves up and figure out how to survive on their own, despite their frailty.
Though it’s a horrible thing that this was ever done to the elderly, I really enjoyed this story of older women learning that they can still be strong and useful if they stop viewing themselves as helpless. They learn to take action instead of complaining, and eventually the tribe comes to respect and honor them. They never leave their elderly to die again.
This was a short, quick read, and I loved it. I’d recommend it.
Content Notes: Some vague mentions of “becoming a woman”, moral implications of leaving the elderly to die.
Bottom Line: An uplifting story, written like a fleshed-out legend, atmospheric.
Portugese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith
Since I love another of Smith’s series, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, I thought I would give this series a try. In this book, Dr. von Igelfeld, a philologist who wrote a book called Portuguese Irregular Verbs, travels around with his colleagues and encounters various silly adventures.
This series is written in a similar way as the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in that smaller storylines, which mostly wrap up in a single chapter, are woven together into a larger story. Each incident is used to paint the characters. I can’t quite decide what I think of Dr. von Igelfeld - he’s a little whiny, a little full of himself, but somehow in a lovable way. I found I was rooting for him in spite of myself.
I don’t know if I’ll pick up the next book or not, but comparing the two series from Smith, it was a different flavor of the same cuisine. I will probably give this series a chance, but No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is always going to be my favorite.
Content Note: One of the stories in this book involves a “guru” giving von Igelfeld a “prophecy”.
Bottom Line: Humorous book. Not sure about the characters, but I think if I pick up the next book I’m primed to grow to like them.
I read Men And Women In The Church in preparation for the homeschool year, The Historian gave mysterious autumn vibes, Two Old Women spanned several seasons with a special mention of fall colors, and Portuguese Irregular Verbs felt back-to-schoolish. So by the time I closed all these books, I was pretty much ready for pumpkin spice candles.
Do you have any books that are a good transition from summer to fall?
Today
I am continuing to share some of the books I read over the summer - the following books helped me get out of my reading slump!
The Love Haters by Katherine Center
A friend got me hooked on Katherine Center a couple years ago. Every book I’ve read from her is like an early 2000s rom-com movie in book form! This one is about a documentary filmmaker, who must produce a promo for the National Coast Guard. The only problem is that she can’t swim, and can’t stand to see herself in a bathing suit…but somehow still ends up thrown together with a handsome coast guard rescue swimmer.
A large theme of this book was about body positivity and learning to appreciate your body - which was a bit heavy-handed, but didn’t keep me from enjoying the story. I also liked how all the characters had a nice ending in this book - Katherine Center always gives her books a happy ending, but even the unlikable characters end up with something good in this one.
Occasionally Center’s books can have a bit of content that I don’t appreciate, but this book had less of a need for content notes than some of her others (see below). Overall, this was probably one of my favorites from her!
Content Notes: Some cursing (including a few uses of the f-word), we find out two side characters slept together, mentions of characters living together in the past, etc.
Bottom Line: Pick it up if you enjoy old-school rom-coms.
In The Company Of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith
This is book six in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which is basically my before-bed, comfort-read series. In this one, Mma Makutsi starts taking dancing lessons and meets an awkward man to whom she feels obligated to be kind - but she ends up being surprised by him in the end. One of the apprentice mechanics quits the shop, and Mma Ramotswe’s former husband shows up threatening to cause trouble for her.
Smith does a wonderful job of weaving all these story elements together throughout the book. What I like most about these books is that most of the problems are serious but not life-ruining, and the characters admire and respect each other as they figure out solutions. There is a fondness among all of the characters that is just comforting to read. This book was more of what I enjoy about this series. Highly recommend for a night-time read.
Content Notes: Infidelity of some of the villains/side characters.
Bottom Line: If you need a calm-down book before going to sleep, this series might be it.
Wear It Well: Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed by Allison Bornstein
At the beginning of the year I shared some of the reading challenges in which I’m participating, and I decided to shift one of my 5x5 categories to include books about clothes and style. I’ve been wanting to make better use of the clothes I have and learn to appreciate my closet instead of adding new things constantly, and Wear It Well has been a great inspiration book for that.
This book opens with encouragement for cleaning out your closet, and then learning to edit your closet according to three words that you must choose to describe your style. Bornstein also gives us her nine closet staples, but the way she gives recommendations leaves so much room for you to interpret those pieces in a way that fits with your own style.
I really love the idea of trying to sum up one’s style in three words, and using those words to help you narrow the choices when cleaning out your closet or shopping for new clothes. It’s something I’ve been keeping in mind as the stores roll out their fall offerings, appreciating a garment while being able to say “it’s not for me”.
Bornstein gets a little “woo woo” in certain parts of the book - for example, near the end she recommends setting up a style “altar”, which is just bizarre and New Age-y. No, thank you. However, aside from religious/philosophical differences, I found this book really helpful and encouraging for defining my own style and figuring out ways to use all my clothes in a way that is unique to me. I’d recommend it, just keep in mind you might need to gloss over a couple weird elements.
Content Notes: Weird religious elements here and there (see above).
Bottom Line: If you enjoy fashion and are trying to hone your style, this would be a good place to start.
Road trip reading time is my favorite - I finished five books in the last couple weeks of May because of a road trip we took to see our dear friends a few states over! I’m definitely in a thriller/suspense phase right now. Here are my opinions on my most recent reads.
Worst Case Scenario by T. J. Newman
In this book, a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant. The resulting damage threatens a nuclear disaster that would wipe out the United States, and it’s up to the everyday people of the town and workers at the plant to prevent that from happening. There was alot of heartbreak in this book, but I thought it was really beautifully done and life-affirming. It also lead to an interest in Chernobyl for me, so I’ve been reading more about that since finishing this book.
Content Notes: Lots of peril, disturbing descriptions of radiation poisoning, some bad language.
The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
Avery is a year-round resident of Littleport, Maine, and Sadie is just a summer resident. But one summer Sadie strikes up a friendship with Avery and changes her life…until a few years later when she is found dead, and Avery is left wondering if there was more behind their apparently spontaneous friendship. Megan Miranda always paints such a vivid setting in her books, and the town itself almost becomes a character that affects what all the main characters do - this book was like that as well. If you like small-town suspense, this book was pretty intriguing.
Content Notes: Moderate bad language, two characters sleep together (not described).
Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins
I just read The Ballad Of Songbird And Snakes in order to get this book next. This follows Haymitch’s hunger games - how his family is ripped apart when he is chosen for the games, and the dire consequences he suffers for not playing by the rules. This one made me cry, but I loved how we got a peek into the “ever after” of all the characters from the other books in the last chapter.
Content Notes: Descriptions of violent deaths.
The Selected Poems Of Wendell Berry by Wendell Berry
After reading an article about where to start with reading Wendell Berry, I decided to try picking up a book of his poems. I have tried reading Jayber Crow before, but Berry’s writing style and way of viewing the world is so different from other books I’ve read, I’ve had a hard time getting into it. This poetry collection remedied that for me - I think I understand his philosophy and worldview better just after reading these poems. There were several poems in this collection that I saved to read again later. I will always have a harder time with poetry that doesn’t actually rhyme, but this book went a long way in helping me to see the appeal.
(No photo, I read this next one on Kindle.)
The Watcher Girl by Minka Kent
I needed a quick read for the last stretch of our recent road trip, and this book captured my attention pretty quickly. Grace discovers that her ex-boyfriend has a new family - but he has moved to Grace’s childhood home, married a women that looks alot like Grace, and his daughter is also named Grace. Something weird is going on, and Grace returns to her hometown to figure out what it is. I may have suspected a little bit of where this book was going, but the ending was surprising enough to be satisfying.
Content Notes: Moderate amount of bad language, two characters smoke marijuana.
I’ve got some great books going for my summer reading right now, so keep an eye out for another book roundup soon!
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