September books

 Here are the books I read this month:

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers tells the story of  Vera Wong, a lonely, sharp-tongued 60-year-old widow who runs a struggling tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown. One morning, she discovers a dead man on the floor of her shop and becomes convinced the police have missed something. Determined to solve the murder herself, Vera begins investigating her customers and the people connected to the victim. Along the way, her suspects unexpectedly become her friends—and Vera discovers that solving a murder may be less important than finding a new sense of family and purpose. I loved it and highly recommend it! 

What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown follows a young woman who becomes entangled in the mysterious world surrounding her mother’s sudden death. As she investigates her mother’s past, she uncovers secrets about wealth, family, technology, and a secluded community that promises an ideal life—but may be hiding something much darker. So many twists and surprises. It’s a psychological mystery/thriller about family secrets, grief, and the dangers of chasing a supposedly perfect life.

August books

 Here is what I read in August.

Here is a short synopsis I liked about the book. Min Jin Lee’s Free Food for Millionaires follows Casey Han, the ambitious daughter of Korean immigrants, as she graduates from Princeton and tries to build a successful life in New York City. Torn between her family’s traditional expectations and her own desire for independence, Casey struggles with career setbacks, relationships, financial pressures, and the lure of wealth and social status. Set in late-1990s Manhattan, the novel explores themes of identity, immigration, class, family, ambition, and belonging. Rather than focusing on a single dramatic plot, it is a rich character-driven story that examines the sacrifices and compromises people make while searching for success and home.

Natalie Heller Mills is a wildly successful social-media “tradwife” influencer who presents an idyllic life as a wife, mother, and homemaker on a beautiful ranch. But much of her perfect image is carefully staged. One morning, Natalie suddenly wakes up in what appears to be 1855, where she must actually live the harsh, labor-intensive life she has been romanticizing online. As she struggles to understand whether she has traveled through time, been placed in a reality show, or is experiencing something even more sinister, she is forced to confront faith, motherhood, marriage, feminism, fame, and the difference between performing a life and actually living it. This was an intense, thought provoking read and I can’t say I’d recommend it to everyone, but it did have an element of thriller which kept suspense until the end.

I really loved this novel. Here is a short synopsis from Chat:

When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin is a heartfelt story about loss, grief, redemption, and the healing power of love.

The novel follows Reece, a reclusive heart surgeon who has withdrawn from life after a devastating loss, and Annie, a young girl with a serious heart condition who desperately needs his help. Their unlikely relationship slowly brings Reece back into the world and forces him to confront his painful past.

In short: It’s an emotional, faith-filled story about how caring for another person can help us find hope and healing ourselves.

It’s a feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa. The story reimagines Medusa as a young woman whose life is transformed by betrayal and tragedy. Rather than portraying her simply as a monster, the novel explores her perspective, her pain, her resilience, and her struggle to reclaim her identity and power. It’s ultimately a story about survival, injustice, and finding strength after being wronged. It was reminiscent to me of the character Elphaba in “Wicked.” I Thoroughly enjoyed this perspective on the character of Medusa! 

July books

 Here is what I read this month:

The book “The Thursday Murder Club” is a witty, cozy mystery about four clever retirees who meet each week to solve cold cases—until a real murder occurs in their retirement community, giving them their first live investigation. It’s equal parts mystery, humor, and heart.  The characters are delightful and sweetly developed in such an endearingly way. I recommend it!

Heartwood is a literary suspense novel that follows Valerie Gillis, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker who disappears in the remote Maine wilderness just 200 miles from completing her journey. As she struggles to survive and writes poignant letters to her mother, a determined game warden, and an unlikely amateur sleuth race to uncover what happened. Blending a gripping missing-person mystery with themes of resilience, grief, and the bonds between mothers and daughters, the novel explores both the physical and emotional ways people become lost—and found.

June Reading

 Here is a synopsis of the books that I read this month:

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is a historical mystery set in London in 1749. After her husband is murdered, confectioner Hannah Cole struggles to keep her family sweet shop afloat. When she discovers her husband had secretly amassed a fortune, she becomes entangled in a web of deception, suspicious allies, and a magistrate’s investigation into the source of the money. As Hannah uncovers her husband’s hidden life, she must navigate betrayal, intrigue, and dangerous secrets while fighting to protect her livelihood and reputation.  The novel combines mystery, historical detail, and suspense, with themes of trust, survival, and the consequences of hidden truths.  Historical fiction is probably my favorite genre. I would recommend it!

Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved is a memoir by Kate Bowler about her life after being diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer at age 35, when she seemed to have everything going well—a thriving career, a loving marriage, and a young son. As a scholar of the “prosperity gospel,” which teaches that faith leads to blessings and success, Bowler is forced to confront the reality that suffering often has no clear explanation. Through humor, honesty, and faith, she explores illness, uncertainty, mortality, and what it means to live fully when life doesn’t go according to plan. The book challenges the idea that “everything happens for a reason” and instead offers a compassionate perspective on finding meaning and hope amid hardship.  

May books

 I haven’t been able to read as much as I’d like but these were good ones!

My Friends follows Louisa, a troubled young artist who becomes connected to a famous painting showing three nearly unnoticed friends sitting on a pier. As she uncovers the story behind the artwork, the novel moves between past and present, revealing how a close-knit group of teenagers helped one another survive difficult lives and created a bond that would shape others decades later. It’s a moving story about friendship, grief, art, and healing. It held beautiful themes and character development and I would absolutely recommend it.

Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes follows two very different women whose lives become unexpectedly intertwined after they accidentally swap gym bags at a London gym. Sam Kemp is an overworked middle-class woman struggling with family and financial pressures, while Nisha Cantor is a wealthy socialite whose life collapses when her husband abruptly cuts her off. When Sam ends up wearing Nisha’s designer shoes, she gains a surprising boost of confidence that begins to change her life. The novel is a warm, funny story about friendship, resilience, and discovering who you are when life forces you into someone else’s shoes

April book

 Last month my library card expired and It took a minute to renew it. Now I am able to resume my reading! Here is this month’s book:

The Road to Tender Hearts 

by Annie Hartnett

A darkly funny and heartfelt novel about 63-year-old PJ Halliday, a struggling, alcoholic lottery winner who sets out on a cross-country road trip to reconnect with his high school sweetheart. Along the way, he unexpectedly becomes the guardian of two orphaned children and travels with his adult daughter and a mysterious cat that seems to predict death.

As their chaotic journey unfolds, the group confronts grief, broken relationships, and the possibility of redemption—ultimately discovering that family, responsibility, and second chances can emerge in the most unlikely ways.  

February books

 Here are the books I read this month:

Here is a short synopsis:

“The PLAN is a time-management book that rejects the typical hustle-culture approach and instead helps readers build a planning system that works for their life right now. Rather than chasing relentless productivity or a future ideal, Adachi encourages you to align your time with what matters most to you in your current season. She introduces the memorable PLAN framework—Prepare, Live, Adjust, Notice—as a flexible, human-centered way to organize your days, weeks, and seasons. Throughout, the focus is on integrating your priorities, energy levels, personality, and even your body’s rhythms into your planning, so you can stop feeling overwhelmed and start living more wholeheartedly.”  

This is a book that was recommended by a few book groups and it was so full of suspense! Here is a synopsis:

“The Housemaid is a bestselling psychological thriller about Millie Calloway, a young woman with a troubled past who, desperate for a fresh start after losing her job and struggling with homelessness, accepts a live-in housekeeper position with the wealthy Winchester family on Long Island. At first it seems like her luck has changed, but Millie soon discovers that the beautiful estate hides dark secrets and that the volatile matriarch, Nina Winchester, may be far more dangerous than she appears. As strange events unfold and Millie becomes entangled in the Winchesters’ tense dynamics — including a complicated connection with Nina’s husband, Andrew — she must navigate deception, manipulation, and her own survival in a story full of suspense and unexpected twists. “

This book has such wonderful development of characters an d was filled with lots of twists and secret surprises.I loved that my friend recommended it. This book is a historical mystery set in Washington, D.C. in the early 1950s. The story centers on Briarwood House, a shabby all-female boardinghouse where a diverse group of women live separate, private lives — until Grace March, a mysterious widow, moves into the attic and begins hosting weekly dinners that slowly draw the residents together. Through these gatherings and shared experiences, the women form an unlikely bond, creating a sense of community amid the paranoia and social pressures of the McCarthy era. But when a shocking act of violence occurs during a Thanksgiving gathering — revealing secrets, hidden loyalties, and deadly stakes — the women must confront the truth about themselves and each other.  

January books

 Here is what I read this month:

This is the book that the movie “A Man Called Otto” was made from. The story is so redemptive, and the characters and story development are the absolute best. Watching the character of Ove deal with his grief while learning to love and be loved by those around him was so special. I highly recommend!

Each year in January, I read through this book of sermons by Martin Luther King, Jr. It is so inspiring to listen/read his words and think of the impact that the Lord can invite you to have on the world.  I would absolutely recommend it.

December books

I closed out the year with rereading a book that I’ve enjoyed previously.

Let Them teaches a simple mindset shift: stop trying to control other people and instead focus on your own actions, boundaries, and emotional well-being. By adopting the “let them” approach, you free yourself from stress, improve relationships, and create more space for personal growth. It is filled with mental tools that have been so helpful for me.

November books

 Here are the books I read in November:

Here’s a brief synopsis of The Wedding People by Alison Espach: I really liked the story and how it all unfolded!

Phoebe Stone arrives at the luxurious Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, dressed for indulgence—but not in the way others expect. Rather than being a guest at the week-long extravagant wedding unfolding around her, she’s booked the stay alone, without luggage, in a last attempt at self-destruction following personal and professional collapse. 

When the bride, Lila, mistakes Phoebe for part of the wedding party, a surprising connection forms between the two women. Lila, controlling and perfection-oriented in her wedding planning, becomes both confidante and unexpected savior to Phoebe as the weekend’s festivities proceed. Phoebe, in turn, is forced out of isolation and into the messy business of life, choice, and change. 

The novel blends humour and pain, exploring themes of loss, identity, grief, and reinvention. What begins as a woman’s final indulgence transforms into a fresh start—via friendships forged in unlikely places and the chance encounters that reroute our lives.  

I have a couple of books that I reread  every year or two and this is one of them. It recalibrates my thoughts and focus in a much needed way in a world and schedule that is SO full. It reminds me what is important and necessary due my heart and soul and relationship with Jesus. Comer is such a great writer and story teller so even as he gives statistics and research studies, it’s woven with personal stories and tools to turn your heart towards Jesus at a different pace… I strongly recommend it!

October books

🎃 Happy Halloween🎃

Here are the books I enjoyed this month!

Here is the run down, compiled by the internet. I loved it and would absolutely recommend it!

The novel weaves together the lives of three main characters, told in alternating perspectives, and follows their emotional journeys of guilt, forgiveness, second chances, and connection. 

• Violet Powell is a young woman who served 22 months in prison for a drunk-driving accident that killed a kindergarten teacher. She’s being released and must rebuild her life while carrying deep remorse.  
• Harriet Larson, retired English teacher and widow, runs the book club in the women’s prison. She forms a bond with Violet through the reading group. Harriet is also confronting her own life changes, including her identity after being what she sees as an “empty nester.”  
• Frank Daigle, a retired machinist, is the widower of the woman Violet killed. He works part-time as a handyman at a bookstore in Portland, Maine. He’s grappling with his grief and the complexity of his marriage and loss.  

Their lives intersect by chance in a bookstore: Violet goes there after her release to buy a particular novel she’d been reading in prison; Harriet is selecting books for her prison book club; Frank is performing his handyman duties. That encounter begins a process of transformation for all three.  

My sister had recommended this o ever me and I am SO glad that she did! I loved it. Here is the synopsis compiled from the internet:

Miss Benson’s Beetle is a heartwarming and adventurous novel about Margery Benson, a lonely, middle-aged schoolteacher in 1950s England who abandons her unfulfilling life to pursue a lifelong dream: to find a rare golden beetle in the wilds of New Caledonia. She hires an unexpected assistant, the eccentric and vibrant Enid Pretty, and together they embark on a transformative journey full of danger, friendship, and self-discovery. As their bond deepens, the two women face both external challenges and inner demons, ultimately finding courage, purpose, and unexpected joy in the most unlikely of places.

This book was just real-life stories of librarians and booksellers and the stories of how they fell in love with reading, books, and connecting others with the magic of reading. It was just a really fun read!

Here favorite place…

 If we have a free day, Eden has two favorite things: thrifting and Barnes and Noble and reading. 

She loves seeing new books come out and the smell of book stores. It’s SO fun watching her fall in love with reading!

winding it down…

 While Kit and Ryder were on their backpacking trip, Eden and I got into the habit and winding down each day, in our room reading. The tradition continues so the boys watch soccer while we get lost in our books…

September Books

 Here are the books I read this month:

My sister had recommended this one to

me after she finished it in Oxnard. I think historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I LOVED this one and would highly recommend it! Here’s a tiny synopsis:

“Soline Roussel, once heir to her family’s Paris bridal salon famed for gowns said to bring happiness, loses everything during World War II and shuts her heart to love. Decades later in 1980s Boston, aspiring gallery owner Rory Grant—reeling from her fiancé’s disappearance—leases Soline’s old shop. There she uncovers a wedding dress and letters that lead her to Soline. As the two women’s lives intertwine, they discover uncanny parallels in their losses and a shared chance at healing. Through their bond, both learn that love, hope, and even happy endings may still be possible.”

Eden has absolutely fallen in love with reading and she loves when I read books with her at the same time. She LOVED this one and I have to agree, I did too. We would a highly recommend it!

Here’s a short synopsis:

“Lina Emerson, grieving her mother, travels to Florence, Italy to fulfill her late mother’s dying wish—to get to know Howard, a friend from her mother’s past. She soon discovers Howard is actually her father, a surprising and emotional truth. While staying with him—who lives in a WWII cemetery—Lina receives her mother’s journal from her time in Italy. As she reads it, a tapestry of art, romance, and secret lives unfolds. With the help of Ren, a charming local, Lina immerses herself in Italy’s beauty and gelato… uncovering long-hidden family secrets, confronting the mystery of her parentage, and learning more about who she is and what home means.”

August Book

 Here is the book I finished this month.

This is a book that I have already read, but it’s one that I think is so good to read every few years.  Priya Parker works to help people create collective meaning in their lives through gatherings. She is a master facilitator and a strategic advisor that consults with group with all sizes, in all locations, with all different missions and purposes. It’s inspiring to think

of the intentionality she puts into group

dynamics. I highly recommend it! (Again!)

July Books

 Here are the books I read for the month of July:

“The Huntress” by Kate Quinn is a historical fiction. On books like this, I’ve realized that I never do these synopsis’ and recommendations any justice. I decided to pull from other reviews:

“The Huntress unfolds through three gripping storylines that converge into a powerful tale of justice, identity, and survival. Nina escapes an abusive childhood in Siberia to become a fighter pilot in the all-female “Night Witches” bomber regiment of WWII Russia. After being shot down behind enemy lines, she narrowly survives a brutal encounter with a notorious Nazi war criminal—known as “The Huntress”—and becomes the only living witness to her atrocities  . A former British war correspondent haunted by war, Ian takes up the cause of tracking down Nazi criminals. His primary target is The Huntress, responsible for the death of his younger brother. In 1950s Austria, Ian enlists Nina—and occasionally her estranged husband—as allies based on her firsthand. In post-war Boston, 17‑year-old Jordan is intrigued—and increasingly suspicious—when her father brings home a new fiancée, German widow Anneliese. Jordan’s instincts—and photographic sleuthing—lead her to believe her new stepmother is hiding a dark past, which eventually ties her to The Huntress’s hidden identity. As Nina, Ian, and Jordan’s paths intertwine, the trio unravels The Huntress’s real identity—a woman living undetected in the United States. Their relentless pursuit culminates in a tense confrontation near a lake cabin in America, where justice is finally exacted, and The Huntress is forced into facing her crimes.  The Huntress is a richly layered, page-turning historical thriller, marked by bold characters, deep emotional stakes, and a resonant exploration of how individuals seek justice long after the guns fall silent.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I would absolutely recommend it!

I read this Agatha Christie mystery from 1926. I love the character of Hercule Poirot and how, like Sherlock Holmes, the character has become timeless over the last 100 years. Lime most mysteries, I love a good twist, developed characters and a story line that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. This has all of that.

June books

 Here are the books that I read this month (some as a family):

We finally finished the Harry Potter series with the Deathly Hallows. We started this series as a family back in 2019. We always tackled one in the summer. Either I would read aloud or we would do an audible book. We loved these stories and always made a goal of watching the movie as soon as each book was finished. Rowling’s imagination is absolutely incredible!

Years ago I had read the series of “the #1 ladies detective agency”, taking place in Botswana. This book starts a new series with a new author and detective. It’s reminiscent of the first series that I loved, but with its own characters and twists. It focuses on

multiple murders related to a local Botswana diamond company. It has a sense of an African Columbo where at times you as the reader know who did it and then watch the detective figure it out, and others where you are finding clues together. I’m excited to read the next one!

This book takes place in the English countryside in the 1960’s. It a mix of romance, fictional memoir, a murder mystery with a twist, navigating loss and family relationships, and characters developed in such a thorough and beautiful way. I would absolutely recommend it!