September In the Books

I love a good calendar. I live and die by the digital calendar on my phone. Go to a dental or eye appointment with my kids and set up a follow-up for a year out? It's already in my phone for next year. I've often said, "If it's not in my calendar, it's not happening. It doesn't exist." But recently, I realized that digital-only may not be cutting it for some of my family members, including the Hubs. And so he got a paper planner, which comes back to me at the end of the month to fill out with important family events for the coming month (and beyond), while he adds his own notes about projects and work, which can now fit in with everything going on with the family. Win! 

Additionally, I picked up two wall calendars (April 2025-June 2026) on clearance and got back into my pencil and color-coded ways (every child was assigned a color nine years ago, and it's never changed!), so everyone, at a glance, can see what's happening over the next 30+ days. While some of my kids roll their eyes at me and my calendar-love, it keeps me from answering the same questions over and over again, or missing an event that someone mentioned once. And just like my digital version, if it's not on the paper calendar...it's not happening. 

Which made me stop and think...perhaps I should schedule in reading time for Mom. Time in the day when I give myself permission to sit for 30-minutes and read on my Kindle or from the ever-increasing stack of books next to the bed. Because, just like with everything else, if it's not on the calendar, it often fails to happen. And while I'm all for flexibility, with four teenagers at home, we went from 0-60 MPH in the blink of an eye - as my calendar can testify, and I'm beginning to realize that if I don't make official "room" for things like reading or cleaning out or journaling, there will always be something else to eat up that time. So this month I tried something new, and I scheduled in reading time. Results below. 😏 

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1. The Miracle of Dunkirk by Walter Lord - ★★★★ I borrowed this book from Amazon Prime back in 2018, and it has taken me until 2025 to finally get around to reading it! I thought I knew about the "miracle" of Dunkirk, but what I learned from reading this was just how hectic it was, and what struck me the most was how many men who were saved from the Dunkirk shores...were lost on the crossing when ships were sunk. The numbers are truly staggering. And sobering. War is not a happy read, and yet we read so that we do not forget this fact. This is a well-written historically accurate account of the events which took place over nine days in May and June of 1940. If you don't love history, you might find it a bit dry in places, but if you are at all interested in unique historical events, especially involving the WWII era, I would recommend giving this a go. Four stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
2. These High Green Hills by Jan Karon - ★★★★★ This was at least my fourth time through this book, but I knew I wanted to lose myself in something familiar, something comforting and cozy, to help kick me back into the reading habit. As it happens, I finished this book and The Miracle of Dunkirk the same weekend, so it must have worked. As always, a visit with the (now married) Father Tim is always balm when the world seems to have gone nuts. I made the mistake of popping onto IG the day after Charlie Kirk was murdered, and the comments and posts from my friends on both the left and the right were enough to make me want to close my account and never look back. But rather than do that, I took a "trip" to Mitford, sat in a cave with Tim and Cynthia, laughed at J.C.'s attempts to woo the new female cop in Mitford, and rejoiced when Luella and Miss Patty moved into the new Hope House (for the elderly). The world is sad, but Mitford reminds me of what it once felt like (when there was more optimism than realism). Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
3. The Cornish Wedding Murder by Fiona Leitch - ★★ I got this as a cheap Kindle book, and I read it in three days, so it was clearly something I could enjoy, but it's not great literature. The awkward drama between the main character, Jodie (a.k.a. Nosey Parker), and the lead detective, plus the weird friend/more-than-friend tension with Tony (also a suspect, also the fiance of the missing bride, and ex-husband of the corpse) was a little cheesy for me. Not to mention the continual "blushing" whenever she had to bring up the excessive number of "organic sausages" that she had on hand (give me a break, the character is 40-year-old ex-cop, with a 12-year-old daughter...she's not blushing when talking about sausages, though her preteen might be!). That being said...it's a "cozy" mystery, set in a Cornish village, a dash of Jessica Fletcher, and a whole lot of cheese. I'd try another one, but wouldn't recommend the series (there are other similar series in this genre I like better). Two stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
4. Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington - ★★★★ I started this book much earlier this year, and then life happened, and I finally got back around to finishing where I left off. I don't know that I would say that I "enjoyed" this book, but I'm absolutely going to have my kids read it for school. Washington does a really outstanding job of sharing his own life story, and not dwelling (or glossing over) the hardships, but inspiring and encouraging others (whether black or white) to excel in all things, to the best of their abilities. Towards the end of the book I actually did something I almost never do (and by almost never, I mean, probably not since college when I was reading books to write papers on them)...I highlighted quotes. An inspiring man who didn't let anything stand in the way of an education or of helping others up through hard work. Four stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
5. The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett - ★ Yes, you see that correctly. One star. I simply could not get past the writing style of this book. And what's worse, I'd already read two books by this author and was prepared for the style (Review #1 - 3 stars, and Review #2 - 4 stars), but for some reason the others, even though they were in a similar style (a conglomeration of emails, voicemail transcripts, recordings, etc.), were just easier to read. This...made my head want to explode. The premise was an interesting one, but the unfolding story (which slowly revealed a story within a story, until you finally get to the truth...sort of), was just annoying and tedious. It could have been better, I think, taking the same ideas and using a different writing style (one where the author is telling the story, not a jumble of broken transcripts), and it might have been a three star book. In fact, it was only once the style changed at the very end of the book that I found my interest piqued at all. One star, would not recommend. {Goodreads Link for More Reviews if You Want a Different Take} 

I made it 57% through my sixth book, but didn't manage to finish that up before midnight yesterday, so I will just have to count it for my first book of October and give myself a head start. As you can see, though, giving myself time each day for dedicated reading (plus getting into some more interesting and/or easy books) has helped kick start the reading wagon again, so I'm pretty happy with five and a half books this month, after a summer of drought. 

How about you? How's your reading going? Had a favorite book you've read this month that you're just dying to share? Hit me up in the comments and let me know what I need to add to my TBR stack! 

Here's to a bookish October!  

A Change in Goals (August Reading Update)

And here we are, another month down in the year, and coming into my absolutely favorite season of all...FALL. I have loved the "ber" months all my life. Long before Instagram girlies made reels about "ber" months and Halloween decor. Long before it became popular to go to pumpkin patches for photo shoots (I love them for the pumpkins, weird!), and Pumpkin Spice Lattes didn't have their own hashtag. #PSL Because before there was all of that, Anne Shirley popping off of the page, extolling the virtues of October to a little budding bookworm, curled up in her bedroom in East Tennessee. 📚🍂 

I also love these days because they are growing shorter, and if there's one thing I know, it's that I read more in the dark. It's cozy, I have blankets and hot tea. The kids are all in their bedrooms earlier because the sunset tricks us into thinking it must be close to 9 or 10 o'clock when it's only 6 or 7. Bonus hours for reading.  

Photo by Annelies Geneyn on Unsplash

In the meantime, even though the #PSL is officially out (much to my delight), August was full of summer's last golden days, when the weather can't make up its mind and the grass is still growing, but fall is on the horizon, and mornings are a little crisper than before. And now that the first of the "ber" months has arrived, that means it's time for a review of how I did in catching up on my reading goal last month (Full Disclosure: I gave up and lowered the goal to 36 books, due to circumstances beyond my control this year!). 

1. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I read this for the first time when I was in high school, back in the mid-90s, when the book first came out. And I fell in love with the characters, the setting, and Karon's writing style. In the decades since then, I have read this series more times than I can count, and it usually gets selected when life feels heavy. I pulled At Home out again when my mom was dying of cancer. I read the first chapter out loud to her on one of the last days that she was able tolerate being read to (as she grew weaker, she just wanted quiet). After she passed, I picked it up and started at Chapter 2, reading it through slowly. I love Father Tim and his crew, not only because the setting is based off of Blowing Rock, NC (a small mountain town I used to visit with my mom and sisters for a girl's day trip), but because of Karon's ability to weave God's truths throughout the story without it being a sappy Christian novel (which I avoid at all costs). If you haven't read the Mitford series, find a copy of book #1, grab a blanket and a cup of tea, curl up in your coziest chair, and let the heaviness of life melt away as you are transported to a simpler time and reminded of the goodness of God. Five Stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
2. A Light in the Window by Jan Karon - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Much like the first book in this series, I always enjoy a re-read and a trip back to Mitford, with all of it's small-town drama, a budding romance between Father Tim and his neighbor with the shapely legs, not to mention Dooley, Puny, and a host of other returning characters. It's fun to imagine myself having lunch at the Grill, or visiting Avis at The Local to grab some groceries for dinner. If only life were as simple as life in the 1990's fictional mountain town. I did find myself a bit annoyed this time through by Father Tim's inability to clearly articulate his feelings for Cynthia, and peeved by Cynthia's assumptions and lack of clear communication. Either I'm getting older and have less tolerance for these kinds of relationships, or I just glossed over it the first few times I read through the story. Either way, it's still a sign of good writing, because I got sucked into their lives and felt annoyed by people who don't exist. Five Stars. {Amazon Associates Link}

Two books. That's it. And two re-reads at that. But at this point, in this year, I'll take it, because doing something is still better than doing nothing. I still have my stacks of books I want to read, stacks that I know I would enjoy and learn something from, but apparently it's just not the season for that. Seasons come and go, and we have to be willing to flex with them. Much to my inner contol-enthusiast's dismay. Perhaps the "-ber" months will be better and see an increase in page numbers, or maybe I just need to finally accept that the entire year hit like a freight train and learning to live with the unexpected is okay too. I guess we'll soon find out. Happy September.

Playing Catch-Up (or What I Read in July)

A confession. I actually finished one book in June, on the very last day of the month. But I already had my June post written, and so I'm counting it for July, because there's no one to say that I can't. There are no rules in this reading goal, just happy dances when reading actually occurs. 

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash

So after a strong reading start to the year, and a total halt to the reading goals while after my mom got sick and passed away, this was the month where I was hoping to get back on track. {Spoiler!} That didn't happen. But at least I got back into the reading groove and got SOMETHING marked off the list! We'll start with the one book that I finished in June, and then moved into the July books.

1. Gangsters vs. Nazis by Michael Benson - ★★★ I started reading this book in March of 2023. That should tell you something right there. It was one of the "Amazon Prime Reading" offerings, and the premise was intriguing: Jewish mobsters who fought (literally) the Nazi-sympathizers in the U.S. prior to WWII. I'm giving it three stars because, again, it was an interesting story line, mostly unheard of (by me) prior to this book, but the writing just didn't hold my attention. Too many names, too many locations, not enough direct information (a whole lot of, "here's what we know"). I was glad I didn't pay for the book, and I wouldn't say, "grab this" unless you saw it as a Prime Reading option again. And for that reason, not even linking it. 
2. Rocket Men by Robert Kurson - ★★★★★ This may be the best book I've read so far in 2025. The author does a fantastic job of incorporating his interviews with the astronauts themselves (something that's basically impossible to do now that so many are gone) and the folks from NASA, and really putting the reader in the captain's seat, so to speak. The way he goes back and forth from the decisions that led up to Apollo 8 saving 1968 to the backstories of the three astronauts and their wives, to the epilogue, was just really well done. If you like space stories, this is a good one. I knew how it turned out and was still on the edge of my seat (the mark of a good writer). If you aren't into space...this is still a good book. Bonus: these are the only three NASA astronauts whose marriages survived the space program, so it's a love story as well. Three, in fact. Worth reading! Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
3. The Year at Thrush Green by Miss Read - ★★★★ I haven't read a "Miss Read" book in a while, but the kids got me the last three I didn't own this past Christmas, and it felt like the right time to dive into an easy, cozy read. Something that didn't take too much brain power to enjoy and put me in a lovely English village in "simpler" times. And I was right. If you've ever read and enjoyed the Mitford series by Jan Karon (based on life in small town NC - in fact, based on life in Blowing Rock), you'd probably enjoy Miss Read's books. Lacking the spiritual spin of Mitford's Father Tim, it's still a really lovely set of fiction about life in small town England in the 50s and 60s. In this particular book, we go through the year (starting in January, ending in December) with our friends in Thrush Green, and there's a thin story line that runs throughout. You don't have to have read any of the previous books to enjoy this as a standalone, but it helps if you have. Four stars. {Amazon Associates Link}

I made good headway on two other books in July, but didn't manage to finish them in time. Along with not getting this blog posted in time. But if 2025 has taught me anything, it's that LIFE HAPPENS. Don't sweat it. It's great to set reading goals, but the important thing is to make time to read, even if it's just five minutes at the end of the day. Read for fun. Read for pleasure. Read for learning. Just read. 

See you in a month!

The Great Life Explosion (Or Why I Didn't Finish a Book in June)

My mom passed away on June 12th. From diagnosis to death was just six weeks, and in that time I spent much of it caring for her, helping my dad, making arrangements, becoming an expert in how Hospice works and the intricacies of Schedule II narcotics and how to administer them safely. And then she died, and I wrote a eulogy for her funeral, planned the service with my siblings, organized food, spoke at her memorial, extroverted at the visitation, and then hopped in a car and drove 10 hours to Florida to drop off three of our kids for their summer mission trips. 

In other words, reading didn't happen, but life did.

Photo by Clara Carruthers on Unsplash

There are several life events it feels like no one talks about or prepares you for, and I'm currently juggling a few of them. Perimenopause and the changes that come with that being one (good luck having a productive conversation with your GYN about that, unless you bring it up and move it forward!), the death of a parent being another. Fortunately (??), I have several friends who have already buried one or both parents, and they have kindly shared some insights from their experience. But, much like raising kids - everyone's experience and situation is unique to them. You have to factor in family, expectations, finances, personalities, faith, and so much more, making each and every situation just a little bit of a crap shoot. 

My mom was 84-years old. She had lived a long life, and a good one. That being said, her death was still unexpected. In six months she went from being a vivacious grandma to a shell of herself, not even able to get out of bed on her own. In the last six weeks she went from a loving wife and mom, always waiting on others and making sure they had what they needed, to someone in need of 24-hour care. 

We don't get a say in how we die. Sometimes I think it would be nice if we did. Of course I think that - I'm a recovering control enthusiast! But since we don't, the next best thing we can do, if we have any foreknowledge of our end, is to die well. In this case, that meant Mom's kids reading the Bible to her when she could no longer read it for herself. It involved singing to her when she could no longer sing with us. It looked like helping her eat, drink, walk, and go to the bathroom. In many ways, it was the reverse of what she did for all five of her kids when we were babies and toddlers. 

And it was the greatest honor of my life to be a part of her care. 

There were many days when I got into my car after being at my parent's house for 12 and 14 hours, and cried all the way home. It's not easy watching your mother die or her husband of 64-years try to figure out how to do life without his spouse. Not only is it not easy, there are times when it downright stinks. 

But throughout this entire process, from the beginning of all the tests in April, to her final breath in June, the one message that has been impressed upon my head and heart over and over again is this: God is Good. 

It's a simple message. But one that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, to be true. People say it easily enough when life is going well. When the vacation plans pan out, when you get the job promotion and the raise, when you sniff that "new car smell" or make the last payment on your dream home. But what about in the grey times? What about when the basic bills exceed the size of your paycheck? When your marriage doesn't go the "happily ever after" route? When your child goes down a path you'd rather they not go because you know it will only hurt them, and possibly others? Or when the test comes back positive for cancer...when your mother has shrunk to a shell of herself...when your dad gets in the car to go home by himself. Can you still say that God is good?  

Psalm 34 is all about the goodness of the LORD:

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! {vs. 8}

But a few verses later, David reminds us: 

"17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."

The righteous WILL have afflictions, but in those afflictions, the LORD is near. When we are "crushed in spirit," the LORD is Good. When we "cry for help," the LORD hears. In other words, if we want to die well, we must first live well. We must, like Job, be able to say in all situations, "The LORD gives and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the Name of the LORD." Or, more simply, God is Good. And He is, my friend, He is. 

I miss my mom. But she is more alive today than she has ever been before. I hurt for my dad. But I know the Lord is near to the brokenhearted, saving the crushed in spirit, and before we know it my dad will be reunited with his sweetheart, face-to-face with the LORD, singing praises to their Savior. What hope and joy is mine in knowing this life, this interlude, is but a vapor, but Heaven is forever. 

God Is Good.

My Lonely Bookshelf (What I Read: May)

The beginning of May, my 84-year-old mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. There is no cure, and the treatment that they hoped would give her some relief, didn't do anything for her. Within a matter of days she went from walking on her own to shuffling around with the assistance of a walker. 

My days also changed, from wrapping up another home school year with the four at home, to becoming a full-time nurse and caregiver, taking care of my mom, handling her new medications, sitting with her at the oncologist, talking to doctors, learning about Hospice, conferring with family members near and far, setting up a Meal Train, comforting distraught friends, making sure my dad was still eating and had clean clothes, and more. 

And while I've had my share of time just sitting and waiting, my brain hasn't really been in reading mode. I did, however, manage to continue to read some each day in my Kindle app, and I did finish one book. Rather than choosing to focus on the goals I'm not meeting, I'm choosing to focus on the fact that one of my other goals, spending more time with my aging parents, is being more than met. Although it's not exactly what I was thinking when I set that goal, I'll happily take it, and no regrets. 

Go hug your parents if they are nearby. If you can't, pick up the phone and call them. See how they're doing. Ask about their day. Tell them you love them. It can all change in the blink of an eye, so do it while you can, and don't leave room for "I wish I had...." 

Photo by Kamil Switalski on Unsplash

I'm sad to say that the one book I did manage to finish in May wasn't even that great, but I'm still glad I read it. Even though I didn't love it, it did give me some new ideas and food for thought, so I'll count that as a win.

1. Intermittent Fasting Transformation by Cynthia Thurlow, NP - ★★★ The title and idea of this book promised a lot, but in the end I didn't really find it to be sustainable. There were aspects of this book that, while reading, I thought, "Well, that might be worth a shot," but she lost me when it came to actually measuring the grams of food. I appreciated her focus on fasting around cycles (for different ages of women), and how that affects the outcome of IF. Lots of recipes in the back, but as someone who is still feeding five other people every day, I am not in a position to make two separate meals, and my kids wouldn't go for these, so...just take the good stuff from here, and tweak it to fit the life you have. That's what I'm walking away with. Three stars. {Amazon Associates Link}

I have several new books in process, even if it's slow process, at the moment, and added in a re-read (for the fourth time) that sounded like it would be enjoyable (James A. Michener's The Source). Even though I'm not currently meeting my five-books-a-month goal, I am reaching my "read daily" goal, so choosing to focus on the small wins for now. There will be future seasons when I have lots of time for reading and no ability to hold my mom's hand, which puts everything into perspective. Choose wisely.

What I (Didn't) Read: April

As I type this, it's drizzling outdoors, with a hint of sunshine in the background of the clouds. My favorite sort of a day. The perfect day, in fact, for curling up and reading. But, as life has taught me, we don't always get to do what we consider the "perfect" activity for the day, so here I sit, tied to my desk, working away on this (and other) tasks. I suppose if I can't actually be reading the next best thing is to be writing about it, followed by proofreading the musings of authors who want to share their content with the world. It's not a bad gig if you can get it. But I'd still rather be reading.     

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash

Coming in from last month, after two slow reading months, I knew I had to stick to my 5-books-a-month pace if I wanted to stay on track for the year. But then LIFE hit, and it hit HARD. When a family member received some life-changing health news, reading very quickly went to the back burner, and as those around me reminded me...that's okay. 

There are seasons. 

There will be times in the future when I will have all the time in the world, sitting and waiting, to read. This is not one of those seasons. So for the month of April, while I did spend time reading pages in a paper book and a few pages a day in my Kindle app, this is the list of my books for the month...

1. ZIP
2. ZERO
3. NADA

And that's okay. If we're talking about GOALS...daily reading has still occurred. In addition to reading at least a page or two on my Kindle every day, and the occasional paper book, I have spent many, many hours reading (and listening to) my Bible. And this month, that's the best thing I could have done. 

Go hug your family. 

Call your parents. 

Check in on your grandparents. 

Put your phone down and engage with your loved ones.

Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

What I Read: March

Another month gone. A quarter of the year checked off the calendar. Time passes so swiftly. And what do we do with it? Do we use it wisely? Do we fritter it away? Do we tell it where to go or wonder where it's gone? Everyone has 168 hours in a week, but it's what we do with them that matters. Some days I'm better at telling the time where to go than others (making sure I read something every day remains a priority), and other days I get to the end of the day and think, "Well, that could have gone better." But no matter what, the idea is that we do what we can with the time we have been given. Whether your life is long or short, use your years well. 

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

And speaking of hours spent reading, March was a struggle for me in that department. I've been working my way through a Kindle book about the history of Britain's early kings (one star, but still forced myself to finish), which seriously slogged me down. I had several books that I picked up for free (using trade credit at a local used bookstore) and was hoping that having books that I was excited to read would put me well-past my four books last month, but alas. Life and other responsibilities (and slogging through that king book) have kept me slightly off the pace. 

However, I'm still reading every day, even if it's not as much as I would hope (I'm embracing my 2025 motto: doing something is better than doing nothing!), and below are my quick reviews of what I did read in March. I'd love to hear about your favorite book from the last month, so hit me up in the comments!

1. The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman - ★★★★★ About half-way through this book I thought, "Oh shoot. This is slow and going to be a disappointment." And about three chapters later I was snort-laughing and finished the rest of the book in a day. So hilarious, mixed with a tinge of sadness (the realities of aging and setting your plot in a retirement home). I absolutely LOVED the new additions to the mix, and even though I had already somewhat suspected the "who" in the "done it" part of the story, the whole thing was just a delightful escape for a few hours. In fact, it made me break my 2025 rule of reading 10 books before I was allowed to buy another. I immediately went to the Kindle store and used Kindle and Amazon credits (and a little cash) to buy book #4 so I could start reading immediately. (And was immediately crushed by the first chapter, but people have to be killed or there's no murder to solve, right?) Morality warning: there are all kinds of people, of all ages, hooking up in this book, but nothing graphic. I just wanted to mention it, especially since there was nothing like that in the first book. {Amazon Associates Link}
2. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman - ★★ Five stars for writing - Osman is very talented when it comes to creating characters and slowly giving them more depth. When chapter 60 hit, I bawled like a baby, which I hated as a reader, and appreciated as a writer. That being said...yes, you see that right, two stars for the story this time. The downside of making your primary characters of geriatric age is...death. But compared to Book #1, this took more liberties (with relationships and involving sexuality) than I want in a "cozy murder" book. And deaths. Lots of deaths in this story. Humor as well, but not enough to counteract the death theme. It was just, in general, darker. Although well written, I just didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I did Books 1-3. I'll give book #5 a try when it comes out, and hope it goes back into the safer realms of the first three, but we'll have to wait and see. Morality warning: This time around, Osman created a homosexual past (and possibly future) for one of the main characters. This comes towards the end of the book, and there's a hint that it might become an ongoing story line. 
3. Unruly by David Mitchell - ★ I'm all for making learning history fun (and funny), especially when it comes to the terribly lengthy history of England's creation and monarchy. But I couldn't get past the vulgarity (including a number of F-bombs) used by the author. There are so many amazing words in the English language, in my opinion it's just laziness to substitute profanity for humor and wit. Language is a beautiful thing when well used. My enjoyment of the content was tainted by the vocabulary. I was hoping for a major win here, something that would make learning about the various kings (and occasional queens) of England a little more palatable, but, alas, the quest continues. 

And that's it. Three books. A five star, a two star (which, by the way, most people disagree with me on that, but to each his or her own!), and a one star. Not a very stellar month as far as reading is concerned, but I have several in process that I hope to complete in April, and I'm still on-track (just) for my 60 books goal for 2025. How about you? Best book of March? Hit me up in the comments!