Reading Recap 2025 (Quarter 3)

Total books read this quarter: 39 (July-September)

Total for the year: 100/100

I’m excited to share that I met my reading goal for the year! I’m not sure how, as this has been a very busy year, but apparently I’ve found the time to read. There are some gems in this post and I would love to hear if you’ve read them or have any new recommendations for me!

Fiction

Remarkably Bright Creatures (Shelby Van Pelt)

What a book! This has been on my TBR list for a while—and I only happened to read it now because my librarian recommended it so highly that she actually checked it out for me. One of the main characters is an octopus—yes, you read that correctly. It ended up being such a sweet, hopeful story with a satisfying ending. The writing and plot are excellent. I took a star off my rating for language (plus the inclusion of a few unnecessary comments of one character’s lustful thoughts). It it weren’t for that, this book would have been perfect!

Midnight on the Scottish Shore (Sarah Sundin)

I can never put down a Sarah Sundin novel! This was a pretty engaging storyline. I found it more difficult to relate to the MC’s in this book and the double/triple agent storyline was hard to follow. Still, it was very interesting, well written, and leaves me wanting more!

The Song of Sourwood Mountain (Ann H. Gabhart)

This sweet story gave Love Comes Softly vibes with a missionary twist. Ada June had my heart the whole book. My only criticism is that the beginning (with Mira contemplating her decision) should have been quicker so we could have had more book real estate in the mountains. I’m curious if there will be a sequel coming out? I want to spend more time with ALL these characters!

Mollie Peer: Or The Underground Adventure of the Moosepath League (Van Reid)

I really enjoyed the second installment in this series. The characters were absolutely hysterical, the mystery kept me guessing, and I loved Wyck and Mollie! Onto the third!

The Lawyer and the Laundress (Christine Hill Suntz)

This is an excellent novel from a debut author—great pacing, character development, and twists and turns that I genuinely didn’t see coming. The underlying background mystery was revealed step by step throughout the whole book—kept me so engaged and fascinated. I also loved that it was set in the 1800’s during the upper Canadian rebellion- a time period I don’t know anything about and a welcome change from the WW1&2 fiction that’s so prevalent (although I love that too!). Couldn’t put this one down!

What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball (Elizabeth Aimee Brown)

I really enjoyed this indie Cinderella adaptation! It was funny, full of MANY twists and turns that truly caught me off guard, and pretty wholesome. I was really impressed by the quality, from the writing to the editing and formatting—especially since this was a first time indie author. No surprise that this won an award at the Realm conference!

The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

It’s hard to summarize such a book, and it is a classic for a reason. There are so many layers to unpack! It really started to pickup halfway through—when the major “action” is committed. It’s somehow both a crime mystery and theological work, with an intense look at family dynamics and character study of some of the worst fictional characters I’ve ever read (Fyodor Karamazov?!?! Come on!) 4/5 stars because the book was much too long. Dostoevsky could have used a good modern day editor to help him tighten things up and make the book more concise! And yet, there is so much intention throughout the book—so much foreshadowing and purpose to characters. The ending was so redemptive and moving. This book will be staying with me for even longer than it took me to read it.

Welcome to the Honey B&B (Melody Carlson)

This was overall cute and cheesy, but fairly deep for what I was expecting. I loved the premise (three generations- an older woman taking care of her husband with dementia, when her daughter, a single mom trying to parent her own rebellious daughter, move back home.) I would have loved to see more character development specifically in the mother and teen daughter, but it was a really sweet story.

The Lady and the Mountain Man (Misty M. Beller)

I actually really enjoyed this, despite giving low ratings to two other books from this author during this period. It was hard to put down—I just had to figure out what happened to Leah. I like how some of the tension in the plot came from natural causes, such as the danger from animals or weather at the ranch. It was very interesting and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Also, I enjoyed reading the anniversary edition with the pictures and author’s notes throughout!

The Rancher Takes a Cook (Misty M. Beller)

This was a cute love story, but not much in the way of character development. The pacing also seemed all over the place. I only gave it 2 stars out of five.

Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart (Misty M. Beller)

This book had an interesting premise, but I found the events to be unrealistic. It also seemed to “mirror” other books that I’ve read from this author, so I could predict different plot points. Two stars for this one.

Six Weeks by the Sea (Paul Byrne)

I was excited about the premise of this book (a fictionalized account of the rumor of Jane Austen’s romance at the seaside one year), but I guess I can’t stand anything even remotely resembling fan fiction. The characters were confusing—it was hard to understand how the side characters contributed to the overall plot. **spoiler alert** I was disappointed that there was a secretly homosexual character, especially since the author’s notes clarified that the real person the character was based on was not a homosexual. So why change that? It seems like the author was attempting to interject a progressive agenda, and it did not fit at all with the character and values found in Jane Austen’s novels. On the plus side, there were some fun Easter eggs in this story that true fans will recognize and appreciate.

The Rancher’s Unexpected Bride (Lauralyn Keller)

I wanted to read this purely because of its cover. I found the plot to be lacking—nothing unique to it since I’ve read so many of the “marriage of convenience” trope. I feel like the main characters hit their character arc pretty early; it should have been developed throughout the entire novel.

The Bookish Bandit (Erica Dansereau and Britt Howard)

I was disappointed with this one. Even though it had a bookish theme, cozy autumn city setting, and solid faith elements, I was so frustrated with the male MC for blatantly lying for 3/4 of the book. I couldn’t get around that, unfortunately, so I won’t be continuing with the series.

Mitford Series (continued!) (Jan Karon)

#4 Out to Canaan

This was a good one! Probably the best ending of all the Mitford books I’ve read so far.

#5 A New Song

I liked most of this new storyline, but there was too much plot—events back home in Mitford, and multiple storylines at the new town—too much to keep straight.

A Common Life: The Wedding Story

This is a really cute account of Father Tim’s wedding—likely will only be interesting and relevant to those keeping up with the books though.

Wind River Mail-Order Brides series (Lacy Williams)

A Convenient Heart

A Steadfast Heart

A Secret Heart

This series follows a family in the west, with each brother/cousin having a different mail-order bride experience. The first book seems disconnected from the rest of the series, but I really liked the second and third. There’s an underlying mystery/tension being developed throughout the series, and I might have to finish the series to see how that plot is resolved.

Christian Living

Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity (Alisa Childers)

Second time through and absolutely just as good as I remembered it! This is a thorough resource to both learn about progressive Christianity and how to combat its beliefs.

I love that Alisa isn’t afraid of the opposing views—she quotes progressive Christians and secular scholars frequently and clearly has done her research to represent their material accurately. And then she uses God’s Word, along with church history and theology, to refute core progressive beliefs. Much has changed, and become mainstream, in progressive Christianity since this book was written, and it still is the number one resource that I would recommend!

Make the Most of Your Productivity: A Guide to Honoring God with Your Time (Ana Avila)

This is one of the BEST books on productivity that I’ve ever read. It is revolutionary—because it doesn’t fall into either pitfall of hustle culture or its extreme opposite, me culture. The author takes care to build a theological foundation on time, purpose, Christian character, etc. and uses that as a springboard to talk about principles and practices of productivity. The practical advice is simple, doable, and easily adaptable to any situation. In fact, I think this book could apply both to a working woman to think through her job and tasks, and also to a stay at home mom and her job/tasks at home. I could continue, but I really did enjoy this book. I borrowed it from Hoopla but I’ll be looking to purchase my own copy.

M is for Mama: A Rebellion Against Mediocre Motherhood (Abbie Halberstadt)

This was also a re-read! I had the blessing of reading through this with a group of Godly mamas and the chapters/discussion questions gave us so much to talk about. This is a great book to challenge the cultural view of motherhood and embrace Biblical convictions of the role.

New Testament Marriage (Scott Pauley)

A short book looking at marriage lessons from the life of Aquila and Priscilla in the New Testament. With very practical takeaways, especially involving church and ministry involvement, this is an excellent read for couples who are already married. There is a decent sized resource section in the back which I appreciated!

Bridge-Building Apologetics: How to Get Along Even When We Disagree (Lindsey Medenwaldt)

I appreciated this book overall. It contains more practical advice on methods and the “how” of apologetics, while most other books focus on the content of apologetics. I think the author was a little soft in some of her recommendations, but overall this would be a good companion to something like “Tactics” for a pretty balanced approach.

Resolved: 10 Ways to Stand Strong and Live What You Believe (Lina Abujamra)

There were some very good points made in this book, and it is encouraging and practical. I didn’t rate it as highly because in parts the author was proof texting and using some verses out of context, so that was a bit disappointing.

Nonfiction

Of Other Worlds: Essays and Stories (C.S. Lewis)

These essays were absolutely fascinating and offered a look inside Lewis’ mind and thought process for writing fantasy, science fiction, and faerie stories. I was excited to read the short stories included, but found them odd. Some weren’t finished and others likely did not have the finishing polish that Lewis might have given if he kept working on them. But they were pretty interesting to read, at least!

Awakening Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning (Sally Clarkson)

I listened to the audiobook version and am very ready to purchase my own paperback so I can read through this wonderful book more slowly and take notes. Sally said in the beginning that this book wasn’t necessarily a homeschooling book, but more of a parenting/philosophy of education type of book. It gave me so much to think about in terms of vision and goals before I even start homeschooling. I really enjoyed and appreciated her emphasis on Godly character and literature when it came to her children.

The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading in the Age of Distraction (Meghan Cox Gurdon)

I really enjoyed the journalistic approach to the art of reading out loud! The benefits are absolutely astounding. One of the most valuable things you can do with your kids is to read out loud to them!! There were a few things I didn’t agree with (the writer was not a Christian) and I also feel like I have to take off a star because she couldn’t make it through the LOTR… (joking. Kind of.)

Death by Living: Life Is Meant to Be Spent (N.D. Wilson)

I was between 3/4 stars for this one. Parts of it were excellent—poignant and beautiful descriptions of life, death, and time. These parts contained beautiful writing and descriptions. Overall, it was a good premise of what it means to live—and die. The parts I didn’t care for—it was all over the place, and very stream of consciousness, to the point where it was hard to follow and hard to recall the authors main points at the end of the chapter. A few theological things that I didn’t agree with, either. Overall, it’s not something I will read again, but I am glad I read it once.

National Geographic Bucket List Family Travel: Share the World With Your Kids on 50 Adventures of a Lifetime (Jessica Gee)

This is such a fun book! I had never heard of The Bucket List family online or watched their videos, but I thought the book looked interesting. The travel tips were helpful but the best part of the book is fifty destination ideas with beautiful pictures, places to stay, activities to do, and other cultural suggestions.

The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done (Kendra Adachi)

I’m in between 2 and 3 stars for this one. Many of the lazy genius principles are things I’ve already heard, just repackaged. I did get some new ideas from this book and learned some things—batching tasks for example—but the reason I’m giving it a lower rating is because it follows the typical self-help “empower yourself” selfish mindset… I read the words “live your truth” too many times in this book. So while I like most of the principles presented, I have other resources I would recommend instead. Cultivate What Matters and Do More Better to start.

The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful (Myquillyn Smith)

Overall, a light and fun decorating read. Like other reviewers, I found the book to be too wordy, but the author’s overall suggestions and points were helpful. The decor style is definitely from 2014—so much has changed in the trends and styles since then so the pictures looked cluttered and overwhelming to me! I think if I would have read it ten years ago, I would have really loved it though.

Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff (Myquillyn Smith)

I felt the design style in this book was more relatable for 2025 than her first book. Some of the advice—super unpractical (I get her point with the different steps for the decorating process, but they are impossible to apply fully while living in a tiny space, like I am) However, I gained some good insight and ideas for my own decor style and process!

Memoir/Biography

L’Abri (Edith Shaeffer)

This is my third time reading through L’Abri—and it’s always a pleasure. On this round I read it out loud to my husband and we were both encouraged and convicted by the Schaefer’s ministry to and love for people. There is so much to learn from them.

Joni: An Unforgettable Story (Joni Eareckson Tada)

So much HOPE! I read within a day—I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to see how Joni’s views of her suffering would change. She is so honest about her depression, discouragement, and even sin. Seeing how God worked in her heart was incredible, especially since it was God’s Word where Joni found conviction and hope. This is a very solid resource and I imagine an encouragement to anyone going through suffering. This autobiography only covers 8 years of Joni’s life (it’s from the 70’s). I look forward to reading more of her writings, as she is a prolific author.

Counting the Cost (Jill Duggar)

Read in less than 24 hours. I didn’t grow up following the show, but knew much about the Duggars through the circles I was in. It was good to read Jill’s side of the story and it filled in MANY missing pieces from the public narrative. It’s not only heartbreaking but it’s sickening to see the things her family went through, and the destruction caused by the IBLP cult beliefs.

I think this story needed to be public—people need to see these missing pieces to better understand and interpret the whole. My only disappointment was that we saw a lot of what Jill turned away from (as far as bad theology, IBLP beliefs, etc.) but not a lot of what she turned to. I found Jinger’s book very profitable in this area, as her book was more focused on her theological journey through legalism, but I wish Jill could have shared a bit more about that as well. The Gospel is healing so it would have been nice to include more pointing to that.

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (Ben Carson)

Ben Carson’s story is motivating and inspirational. The second half of the book talked about some of the surgeries he’s performed and patients he’s had—I found myself crying at the stories because it was so clear that God did gift him and was using Him. I wish there was a bit more about his spiritual life and beliefs—though it is clear that it is a big part of his life, it’s not discussed as much as I would have hoped.

Jane Austen at Home (Lucy Worsley)

I was disappointed as I expected this book to focus more on the home life of Jane but it was a normal biography. It was still interesting—I learned so much about her life, and a lot of it was rather sad. The author had the tendency to paint Jane as a victim of the men around her, especially her brothers. Maybe that was true in some situations but it seemed to be a feminist reinterpretation of Jane’s life.

Did you make it to the end?! Leave me a comment to share what you’ll be reading next and if you have any recommendations for me!