BOOKS I FINISHED - AUGUST 2026

The Backyard Bird Chronicles, written and narrated by Amy Tan with foreword written by David Allen Sibley and narrated by Evan Sibley

This "skip the line" option on Libby is slow-moving, a five year journal of bird watching. I have some feeders and enjoy watching the birds that show up in my yard, but I have no interest in identifying them or spending any more time, money, or energy in feeding them than I already do. However, I could relate to Tan's enjoyment of nature. Although I chose it only because none of the other available options appealed to me, this ended up being the right book at the right time. Her gentle voice and cadence (even at my preferred 1.25 speed) were soothing when I needed to listen to something calm. The print version includes her bird drawings, so I may grab a copy at the library. The descriptions of her bird-friendly home also intrigued me and I'll probably check to see if there are pictures online.

Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, written by Katherine Rundell and narrated by Bianca Amato 

I discovered this novel while searching Libby for books narrated by Amato, as I recently enjoyed her narration of another novel. Technically a middle grade book, which I didn't realize until I'd finished it, I think readers of all ages would like it. The protagonist has spent her childhood living pretty wildly in Zimbabwe, blissfully enjoying nature, space, freedom, and the people in her life. Against her will, and during a traumatic time of loss and change, she's sent to a boarding school in London. Needless to say, that transition doesn't go smoothly. Resourceful, courageous, and very much alone, she does what it takes to save her sanity and keep moving forward. I loved this story.

Coconut: A Black Girl, a White Foster Family, and the Search for Belonging and Identity, written by Florence Olajide

Born in London in 1962 to parents from Nigeria, fostered by a British family from ages one to six, moved to Nigeria with her family, then returned to London many years later, the author dealt with an expected and overwhelming amount of culture shock and struggles with identity. This memoir is one about loneliness and belonging, how both governments and citizens can be either blessing or a burden to immigrants, a fierce commitment to education, and the struggle to find a balance between confidently holding your heritage close while also happily embracing your present situation. While some of her experiences were obviously difficult, the story itself is hopeful. A friend passed this book to me after she'd read it and, as always, I enjoyed reading about the life of someone whose experiences have been very different than my own. 

p. 371, "My son is always in trouble at school, so I have taken all his toys and TV away permanently," one parent said.

"Since his punishment is permanent, what incentive has he got to behave better?" I asked.

p. 374, I didn't know what my future held or how many more proverbial glass ceilings I'd happen upon. But I knew if I hit my head against glass hard enough, it would crack, and my bruises would heal. 

Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, written by Eliot Stein and narrated by Danny Hughes

I learned about this book from What Should I Read Next?, episode 491 - Our team's best books of summer (Part 2) and thought it was really interesting. Each chapter highlights a rare and specialized custom or tradition, one that's on the verge of extinction, from somewhere in the world. The reader learns not only about the custom or tradition, but about the country it's from, the history surrounding it, and the person keeping it alive. A few examples are the people paid to read novels to cigar factory workers in Cuba, the mail carrier for a tree in Germany that has its own address, makers of a soy sauce method that spans several hundred years in Japan, and a man in Peru who regularly rebuilds a woven grass bridge. 

Home Front, written by Kristin Hannah and narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed with an author interview at the end 

Despite Hannah's popularity, this is the first book of hers that I've finished. I started one several years ago, but quit because I wasn't enjoying it, and the others I've avoided because of all the hype. This one, however, was unfamiliar to me and came up as a "skip the line option" in Libby. It's a story about a marriage that's falling apart, the wife being deployed to Iraq, and her husband continuing to raise their two daughters while keeping up with his work as a lawyer while she's gone. The couple's relationship and the radical sacrifices that military families make are at the center of the novel, but it's also about the impact of people in our lives who both show us compassion and push us out of our comfort zone, the importance of dealing with traumatic experiences and negative emotions in a healthy way, and the brutal reality of PTSD, specifically for soldiers. I really enjoyed it.

12:20:04, "They are heroes, our soldiers. The men and women who go into harm's way to protect us, our way of life. It doesn't matter what you think of the war, you have to be grateful to the warriors, of whom we ask so much, to whom we sometimes give too little."

The Mad Wife, written by Meagan Church and narrated by Susan Bennett 

I learned about this novel from a friend who showed me the list of titles her book club was considering and it intrigued me. Set in the 1950s, it's the story of a woman buckling under the weight of her own experiences and society's expectations. It's about marriage, motherhood, guilt, suspicion, mental health, medical care, friendship, and women who either don't have the freedom to be honest about how they're doing or who aren't taken seriously when they speak up. The subject matter is heavy and trigger warnings apply, but I enjoyed the book.

Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children, written by Mac Barnett

Our children's librarian was telling me about this book as she returned it to the library, so I immediately checked it out. It's a short book, written with humor by a prolific author, about how important books are for kids, the fact that every aspect of children's book publishing is controlled by adults, that children's books don't need (and shouldn't always have) a point to make or lesson to teach, and the joy of imagination and entertainment in books.

p. 9, Our definition of children's books must be expansive, encompassing works as varied in subject, style, and viewpoint - and even quality - as we find in books for adults. Really, children's books must be as varied as the lives of the children who read them. 

p. 10, The best children's writers tell the truth in a way that is recognizable and authentic to children.

p. 54, Even a story with a lesson should always be judged by how effectively that lesson is conveyed, not how worthy its message is or how important we think it is for kids to hear it. We can agree wholeheartedly with a book's lesson and still deem it an artistic failure. 

p. 60, ... amid the acrid smoke of a failed experiment, you can always catch a whiff of genius.

p. 85, Fiction is a kind of game, and reading is a way of playing. 

Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness, written and narrated by Gretchen Rubin

I'm naturally wired to choose order, cleanliness, efficiency, and so on, and my environment absolutely impacts my mood and energy. So this short book, which was a "skip the line" option on Libby, felt like a reminder of things I already value or do. That being said, I think it would also be excellent for people wired differently or who are anywhere on the spectrum from mildly annoyed to greatly overwhelmed by the state of their home or workspace. Like a couple of other people I follow, Rubin acknowledges that there's no one level of organization or system to acquire it that matters or works for everyone. Instead, this book reads more like a kind and understanding brainstorm of practical ideas and questions for you to sift through, starting with small steps, and doing only what works for you.

16:04, At the same time, it's important to remember that outer order isn't simply a matter of having less or having more; it's a matter of wanting what we have. 

17:21, Consider the three big questions of clutter. When trying to consider the fate of a possession, ask yourself: Do I need it? Do I love it? Do I use it?

1:30:08, The best guide to the future is the past. If you haven't used that thing since you acquired it, it's unlikely you'll start now. 

1:41:15, Accept yourself, and expect more from yourself. Or as writer Flannery O'Connor put it, "Accepting oneself does not preclude an attempt to become better." We can accept ourselves and acknowledge what's true about our nature and habits, and we can also ask ourselves to try harder in our approach to clearing clutter and for everything else. 

The Second Story Bookshop, written by Denise Hunter and narrated by Kim Churchill

This book showed up in a Libby search for something else and I checked it out because I enjoy a story set in a bookshop. I liked the premise of a grandma partially bequeathing her beloved bookshop to her granddaughter, the surprise of a high school boyfriend who broke the granddaughter's heart being giving almost equal ownership, and all the small town drama surrounding their relationship, his imprisoned dad, and the shop's financial struggles. It worked for a light read, but felt too much like a predictable Hallmark movie in book form for my taste and I was distracted by all the similes. 

1:14:41, "A good novel is like a vacation for the mind."  

The Summer of Yes, written by Courtney Walsh

Recommended by a friend, I enjoyed this light read. The novel centers on two women in New York. One is in her early thirties and focused entirely on her career. The other is old enough to be her mom and has built a famously successful business from the ground up. They meet by chance in a shared hospital room, the younger there after being hit by a car and the older because of kidney failure. Although their interactions are strained, they end up spending a summer together, saying yes to things they'd normally say no to. It's a predictable story of friendship, sacrifice, love, fear, regrets, and second chances.

p. 1-2, "You're in the hospital." She smiles. "I'm Cecilia, and I'll be taking care of you."

Thanks to my parents, her name triggers an automatic Simon and Garfunkel response, and I find myself trying hard not to get down on my knees to beg her please to come home. 

p. 16, Regrets are more in focus when hindsight is twenty-twenty. 

p. 63, Daniel Strong is the male equivalent of a burger from Five Guys.

Great marketing, but up close he's pretty greasy and horribly overpriced.

p. 191, Saying yes to simple pleasures might be even more important to me than saying yes to big things. After all, it's the little moments that make a life. 

Uncluttered Faith: Own Less, Love More, and Make an Impact in Your World, written by Joshua Becker with Eric Stanford

I've been following Becker for many years, have quoted him often, and appreciate his gentle, humble, and practical advice for people wanting to be more intentional about what they own. A pastor before he started advocating for minimalism full-time, his work has never been faith-centered. This book, however, combines two parts of his life, minimalism and Christianity, and shows how the two are intertwined. I obviously don't need my all my books to be faith-based, but I want the ones that are to have plenty of Bible verse references to support what they're saying. This books has tons. Lest any potential reader think he'll tell you to get rid of everything, he won't. His definition of minimalism is "the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it." If you don't share his religious beliefs but want to learn more about his approach to minimalism, check out his other books or his site, Becoming Minimalist. 

p. 18, Even though we now live in homes with four times more square footage than that of our grandparents, 11 percent of households rent storage units to hold on to extra things.  

p. 18, Americans buy an average of fifty-three new items of clothing each year, or about four times as many now as in the year 2000.

p. 26, Entangled by American materialism, we're spending more money on comfort and luxury for ourselves than on the basic needs of the poor and the expansion of God's kingdom.

p. 42 (speaking of John the Baptist), Everything he told the people to do to get ready for Jesus focused on their money or physical possessions. <snip> In other words, his advice to the people - the one thing at the top of his mind when he thought about preparing hearts for Jesus - was this: "Get rid of the stuff you don't need, and be content with what you have."

p. 61, According to one online calculator, if you make $50,000 per year, your income puts you in the top 2 percent worldwide for income. Even an annual income of $20,000 puts you in the top 10 percent. (These numbers vary slightly based on household size, but the point remains.)

We live in a world where half the global population lives on less than seven dollars per day. That is lower than the hourly minimum wage in every state in America. 

p. 78, Greed says, "Eat, drink, and be merry!" Worry says, "Protect, guard, and control." But the result is the same: unnecessary and harmful accumulation of stuff. 

p. 124, Recently I spoke at a local university. During the Q&A portion, a professor in the back raised her hand and asked this question: "How do we keep our kids from always wanting more and more stuff?"

I answered, "We model that for them. If our kids are raised in a home where Amazon is delivering a package every couple days or we have so much stuff in our garage that we can't park in it, the message will be received loud and clear: Keep on buying!"

p. 138, So are you becoming more like Jesus in love, in relationships, in word, and in actions? Do you prioritize conversation with the heavenly Father as He did? Do you speak the truth as boldly? Do you go to the needy as readily? Do you have a similar humility? Do you hold the world as loosely? 

p. 174, Our state of contentment or the opposite is not based on our circumstances, but it is exposed in our circumstances. For those who are poor, discontentment means envy, and for those who have wealth, it means excess. 

p. 176, There is simply no joy to be found in constantly desiring things we do not have; joy is found in appreciating the blessings we already have around us. 

p. 179, Enough is more than too much. 

Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver, narrated by Sophia Bush and Mary Oliver, along with Kazim Ali, Elizabeth Bradfield, Summer Brennan, Susan Cain, Cathleen Falsani, James Ishmael Ford, Ross Gay, Mushim Ikeda, Aidan Kingwell, Carmen Maria Machado, Laurette Nicoll, Samin Nosrat, Busy Philipps, Matt Pillischer, Emily Popek, Danya Ruttenberg, Omid Safi, Claire Bidwell Smith, Lisa Starr, Alexander Westphal, and Rainn Wilson

Except for a couple friends who sometimes post her poems on social media, I wasn't familiar with Oliver's work, but that limited exposure led me to choose this "skip the line" option on Libby. This is a collection of over 30 poems read by both Oliver and others, as well as firsthand accounts about how she and her work impacted friends, students, neighbors, and readers. I love that she was a noticer, someone who intentionally paid attention to and valued nature and life. It was neither her perspective nor that of those who contributed to the book (although many did find a sacredness in nature), but I think much of her poetry points to a creation that's so beautifully intricate that only God could have been the creator. I enjoyed listening to this short audiobook as I went on walks and worked in the yard. 

17:35 (from It Was Early), Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.

40:57 (from Mindful), Every day I see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight.

BOOKS I FINISHED - JULY 2026

 

The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power, written by Deirdre Mask

This book is an interesting, and sometimes discouraging, look at what it means for an individual to have, or not to have, a personal address. It highlights cities and countries all around the world to focus on different aspects of addresses - history, political and community influence, impact on homeless people, and more. Although I read the print version when it caught my eye on a library display, it's a type of nonfiction book that I tend to enjoy on audio. 

p. 19,  ... in most Kolkata slums, there are about thirteen people for every 450 square feet - about 100 feet smaller than the average Manhattan studio ...

p. 85, Zip stands for "zoning improvement plan".

p. 122, Grids vary in size and shape in every city. Some have rectangular blocks (Manhattan), some have square blocks (Houston), some have large blocks (Salt Lake City's are 660 by 660 feet, inspired by the Mormon founder's idea that plots should be large  enough for urban farming), while others are small (Portland, Oregon's are only 200 by 200 feet). 

p. 205, (speaking of the Constitutional Court of South Africa), The courtroom is unusual, a place that radiates the spirit of reconciliation. The building, once the site of a notorious prison, is built around the theme "justice under a tree," alluding to the tradition of wise men mediating disputes in villages. An old stairwell from the prison's trial block remains, and bricks from the prison are mixed with the new ones. The justices do not sit above the audience, and though the windows behind them are high above them, outside they are at ground level. Watching the courtroom, you see a steady stream of feet walk above their heads outside. At all times, judges are reminded that they are not above the law.

p. 206, ... by some measures, South Africa is the most unequal nation in the world. Just a tenth of the population, nearly all white, owns 90 percent of the nation's wealth. The net worth of 80 percent of South Africans (mostly black) is zero. Geographically, economically, and emotionally, it is almost as if apartheid never ended. 

Anxietyland, written and illustrated by Gemma Correll

Graphic novels aren't my thing, but I really liked this graphic memoir. The author, whose work has been featured in many well-known publications, has battled anxiety since childhood. In this book she alternates between all the years of anxiety she experienced leading up to the present (colored just like the cover) and the weeks she spent in an outpatient hospitalization program to treat her mental illness (same illustration style, but swap the red for blue), treating the whole thing as if it's an amusement park. Her transparency is helpful for those who don't have personal experience with anxiety but want to better understand it and her sense of humor makes a heavy topic easy to read about. I learned about this book from the 5/22/26 edition of Shelf Awareness. 

p. 425, "It's not weak to ask for help. It's actually really brave."

The Boy from the Sea, written by Garrett Carr

This novel interested me when I read about it on What I've been reading lately: the new and the notable, the 6/15/26 post from Modern Mrs. Darcy. The story starts in Ireland during the early 1970s when a baby boy washes up on the shore, then continues through his childhood. It's not only about him, but also about the (what I'd consider dysfunctional) family who adopted him and the community he's part of. I liked the writing style and the narrator being the voice of the community, but the book as a whole wasn't what I was expecting and was too bleak for my taste.

p. 63, He'd never actually apologize but he'd be extra jovial in their next few encounters; this was how we indicated we were sorry for something we'd said or done: by acting oddly the next time we met you.

p. 164, ... his ability to maintain a state of denial was extraordinary, we admired it, we really did. It's an underrated talent, denial. These days were told it's a flaw, we're told we should be in touch with our feelings, be honest with ourselves. But try this: picture two people standing in barrels of steaming slurry, up to their necks in it, and made to stay there all day. Who will have the better time of it? The one who's best at denial, that's who.

p. 238, Much misery results when a person is unable to simply sit at home most evenings reasonably contented.

Cutting for Stone, written by Abraham Verghese and narrated by Sunil Malhotra

I read another book by Verghese a couple years ago, so I grabbed this one when it was a "skip the line" option on Libby. Following the lives of twins born in Ethiopia to a British surgeon and his assistant, an Indian nun, this novel spans decades. It involves historical aspects surrounding a revolution in Ethiopia, lots of medical settings, the unity and division of twins, what it means to be a family, and life in different parts of the world.  For those with similar content preferences as me, heads up that I skipped some parts because there were open door descriptions that I prefer to avoid in books. I found that aspect of the story annoying, but I appreciate the way Verghese writes about the simultaneous beauty and mess of being human. Lots of hard things happen, but there's also lots of good, including personal growth.  

3:23:19, Wasn't that the definition of home? Not where you are from, but where you are wanted?

13:29:32 (a doctor to someone struggling with the reality of a new colostomy bag), "And yet, imagine if all humans were born with their anus on the belly and that's where everyone's waste emerged. Then, imagine if someone said they were going to operate on you and reroute your bowel so it opened behind you, between your buttock cheeks, somewhere where you couldn't see it except in a mirror and where you could hardly reach it or easily keep it clean."

The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church, written and narrated by Sarah McCammon

This came up as a "skip the line" option on Libby when I was looking for a book to listen to. I've spent my entire life attending evangelical churches, so I was intrigued. Part memoir, part research, the author shares her own experience in and out of the evangelical church, as well as describing the broad group of evangelical churches, their place in society, and the negative impact they've had on specific people. As someone whose beliefs generally fall into what would be considered conservative Christianity, but who has also really (really!) struggled over the last decade or so with the attitudes, words, and behavior of so many who share my beliefs, I appreciated the book. While my own experience doesn't completely sync up with hers, and I'm not questioning my faith, there were definitely parts of the book I agreed with or related to. There was nothing in it that I hadn't already heard from people I know or read from strangers, but I think she presented the information well. 

The Book of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks: A Celebration of Creative Punctuation, written by Bethany Keeley

This short book is an amusing look at quotation marks in places they don't belong, along with the author's commentary. 

Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge, written by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and narrated by Robin Miles

I can't remember where I learned about this book, but it was both interesting and disturbing. Slavery is horrific and it's appalling to think of the lengths people will go to in order to keep other humans as their personal property. While I did enjoy the book, there were a lot of educated guesses about various details, which is understandable due to limited available information, and I wonder if it should have been written as historical fiction instead of nonfiction.

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, written by Nicholas Carr and narrated by Richard Powers

This book was a random "available now" option on Libby when I was looking for an audiobook, so I checked it out. While it's obviously about the benefits and costs of internet use, it's also about the history of reading and writing, the impact of various forms of technology on the wiring of our brains, and how culture is regressing in its ability to read and think deeply because it's adapted to constant distraction. Written a little over 15 years ago, it talks a lot about Google, a little about the future of artificial intelligence, and accurately predicts where we're at now in regards to our decreased attention spans, increased need for small doses of information, and the technology use that, in a cycle of addiction, has both created the situation and provided the (literal) quick fix. It was sometimes a little dry for my taste, but it met my need of a book to listen to.  

Under the Java Moon, written by Heather B. Moore and narrated by Bianca Amato

This book was a "skip the line" option in Libby that I'd never heard of before and I really enjoyed it. Based on the true story of Marie "Rita" Vischer Elliott, and including an afterword by her, this novel is about the years spent with her family in an Indonesian prisoner of war camp on Java Island during WWII. Only six years old when taken into captivity, her Dutch family had lived peacefully in Indonesia until Holland and Japan went to war with each other and Japan invaded Indonesia. The story spans four years and involves families being separated, pregnancy in a camp riddled with disease and starvation, being stranded at sea, a famously cruel camp director, and the horrors you'd expect under all those circumstances. Told in alternating perspectives from Rita, her mom, and her dad, it's written without any need for warnings about language or graphic violence.

BOOKS I FINISHED - JUNE 2026

The Correspondent, written by Virginia Evans and narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed, Jane Oppenheimer, Carly Robins, Jeff Ebner, David Pittu, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Mark Bramhall, Petrea Burchard, Robert Petkoff, Kimberly Farr, Jim Seybert, Cerris Morgan-Moyer, Jade Wheeler, Peter Ganim, and Steve West

I read the print version of this book back in February because the wait list was much shorter than for the audio, but then decided to wait in line for the audio next. I'm not a re-reader, but I enjoyed the story and knew the audio had a full cast of narrators. I'm glad I listened to it. The following is what I said about the book after I read it earlier this year

I love stories about friendship of all sorts, family relationships, messy lives, grief, and personal growth. I love epistolary novels. I love books where the characters love books. And I love an ending that's perfect for the story. So, basically, I thought this book was wonderful. Spanning about ten years, it's comprised entirely of letters sent between the main character, a woman in her seventies, and several people from different parts of her life. It's about regret, anger, guilt, fear, and unforgiveness, but also about kindness, love, trust, healing, and redemption. 

Counterweights: An Essential Practice for Holding Hope in a Heavy World, written by Shannan Martin

I love how this book encourages the reader to intentionally acknowledge both the hard and wonderful parts of life, to believe there's value in all the people around us and treat them accordingly, and to intentionally look for beauty, joy, and peace. It's a call to learn, grow, and accept as you keep moving forward in the one life you have to live. As a random sidenote, she refers to specific words of Jesus commonly described to as "The Sermon on the Mount" as a poem. I've never heard those verses described that way and thought it was an interesting perspective. I heard about this book on a few episodes of The Lazy Genius. 

p. 47, The flowers die. The garden fades. We can't bypass decay; it feeds the coming harvest. Grief and beauty are the time signature for being human.

p. 69, Dignity should not require a house number. Neither should a nap. 

p. 69, Rest is not a luxury; it is mandatory. God affirms this. As part of our sacred mission to care for one another, we must protect the ability and capacity to rest, especially for those who lives present the tallest hurdles. 

p. 75 (quoting Howard Thurman),  Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. 

p. 118, The wavy economics of friendship prove that one real friend is enough, but there's no such thing as too many. 

p. 125, Our days are built of things we cannot control. But there are tiny gaps scattered throughout them where we can at least turn up the brightness a bit. 

p. 134 (speaking of the Sermon on the Mount), Jesus's poem is an invitation to hover closer to the ground in defiance of a culture that rewards taking flight.

p. 156, Every day we're confronted with the choice to either mind our business, heads down, or pay attention and try to move toward each other.

p. 189, As our Christian paranoia lifted, it was clear: The more we knew the people near us, the safer we were. 

p. 204, If we decide opening our door would expose either our abundance or our lac, a risk too top-heavy to wager, we miss out on the awkward disarray of what it means to belong together in a world where we don't have to pretend. 

p. 206, How might we change if we stopped fearing each other and actually got to know those whose struggles are different from ours? What would we stand to lose if we simply took care of one another? 

p. 219, In a world of constant disruption, spring remains reliable.

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition, written by Anne Frank with introduction by Nadia Murad and narrated by Selma Blair

It's been so many years since I read the the original version of this classic book that it was before I kept track of what I've been reading. Simultaneously tragic, humorous, and relatable, it's the real time thoughts of a Jewish teenager who, along with her family and four other people, hid from the Nazis for two years in a secret part of a building in Amsterdam. This edition of the diary includes entries omitted from the original publication, as well as edits Anne made in order to have two versions of her diary.

16:27, Paper has more patience than people. 

1:22:50, You only really get to know a person after a fight. Only then can you judge their true character. 

5:39:18, The best remedy for those who are frightened, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside. Somewhere they can be alone with the sky, nature, and God. 

6:4:39, On the contrary, beauty remains even in misfortune. If you just look for it, you discover more and more happiness and regain your balance. A person who's happy will make others happy. A person who has courage and faith will never die in misery. 

9:25:46, Laziness may look inviting, but only work gives you true satisfaction. 

Miss Benson's Beetle, written by Rachel Joyce and narrated by Juliet Stevenson

A single woman in 1950's London has a mid-life crisis of sorts and decides to cross the globe in search of a beetle she's always wanted to find, even though she has no proof the beetle actually exists. Her assistant is another single woman, someone different than her in nearly every way. While it's certainly about the hard things they've each faced, the good things they're pursuing, and all the adventure along the way, it's primarily a story about the development of a life-changing friendship. There was an element of the story that felt disjointed and unnecessary to me, but I enjoyed the book as a whole. I learned about it from This Book Made Me Think of You, written by Libby Page, which I read back in February. 

4:25:32, It was only a moment, but judgments are made in the blink of an eye. Especially harsh ones. 

6:16:27, She was a sweet person, but her intelligence she saved for special occasions.

My Name is Mahtob: The Story That Began in the Global Phenomenon Not Without My Daughter Continues, written by Mahtob Mahmoody

I discovered after reading Not Without My Daughter last month that Betty Mahmoody had written a second book, which didn't pique my interest, and that her daughter, Mahtob, had also written one, which I thought sounded interesting. I enjoyed reading her perspective on the heels of her mom's, especially once I knew she'd never read her mom's book. While her mom's book focuses on their time in and escape from Iran, Mahtob's focuses more on life after their return to America and, unlike her mom's book, was written many years after they were held hostage by their husband/father in his native country. Mahtob's goal was to forgive her dad for what he did and maintain a boundary of never speaking to him again. 

While the traumatic experience of her childhood, as well as the danger her dad's threats put her in well into adulthood, had significant and long-lasting negative impacts on her life, I admire her resiliency and determination to not let him ruin her future. I also respect her mom's intentionality in stating the truth about what happened, but not speaking poorly of Mahtob's dad as a person, fostering an appreciation for Mahtob's Persian culture, and always making it clear that Mahtob was the only one who got to decide whether or not to have contact with her dad.

p. 112, We hold on to the things we nurture - all the more reason to choose the object of our tending wisely. A nursed grudge, if not released, can infect our lives and relationships for a lifetime.

p. 235, "The good is no less real than the bad, so why not focus on it?"

The Salt Path, written and narrated by Raynor Winn

Setting out to walk over 600 miles along the coast UK coast would be a major undertaking at any point, but the author and her husband of more than 30 years did it the same week they discovered he had a terminal illness and lost the home they'd poured their lives into for decades. Theirs is a story of loss, grief, perseverance, love, and the importance of both movement and being in nature. The audio version of this book was recommended to me by a family member and I enjoyed it, although it did take me a bit to sync up with the author's accent. Language warning for those that matters to. Although it never seemed gratuitous in context, there was a fair amount of swearing. It's only in writing this description that I looked up the original book cover and I love it. Movie adaptation covers are never as good as the originals.

BOOKS I FINISHED - MAY 2026

Bumblebee Season, written by Eileen Garvin

This novel involves three overlapping stories. First, a young woman with autism who's floundering in a job she's not suited to and gets placed in a different one. The new role plays to her strengths and includes both a boss and a co-worker who treat her well. Second, a young man who's a paraplegic and a beekeeper. The business he co-owns has taken off at the same time he's struggling to find workers. Third, a young teen from Mexico who's without his family or proper documentation. He's a hard worker and determined kid who doesn't want to be a burden to anyone and also wants to feel like he belongs somewhere.

The story is set in Hood River, just 1 1/2 hours away from my own town - two Oregon communities with a high percentage of migrant farm workers, so the element of the story pertaining to immigration and ICE felt very relatable.

I put this book on hold while it was still on order through the library system because I've enjoyed other books by this author, including the one that this is a sequel to. I don't know if I liked it as much as the other books, but I did enjoy it. Language warning for those who care about that. It wasn't enough to make me stop reading, but it was more than is usually in the books I read and more than I remember from the author's other books.

A Calamity of Souls, written by David Baldacci and narrated by MacLeod Andrews, Sisi Aisha Johnson, Kiiri Sandy, and Cary Hite, with author's note narrated by David Baldacci

A black man is accused of murdering the elderly white couple he works for. A white man agrees to be his lawyer. Then a black woman with far more experience joins him. Set in 1968 Virginia, this novel addresses both the specific details of the situation and the broader issues that were happening in America at that point in history. While the historical accuracy is obviously disturbing, I enjoyed the story and loved having a cast of narrators. I did not, however, like the ending. This was a random "skip the line" option on  Libby. 

8:26:23, "But back to the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It combines the knowledge that we are ego centric beasts, but that we must get along to prosper and live in peace. And really, is it such a burden to be nice and respectful to others?"

The Indigo Girl, written by Natasha Boyd and narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

This novel, which I learned about from a friend, is based on the real life of Eliza Lucas, a teenager from England who worked with her family's slaves and a couple men she knew to produce indigo in the 1700s while running her family's three South Carolina plantations. While this work of historical fiction demonstrates racism, sexism, pessimism, classism, and probably other negative -isms that I'm forgetting at the moment, it's also shows loyalty, friendship, integrity, love, and tenacity. I really enjoyed it. This book made me think of Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky, written by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and illustrated by Daniel Minter, a picture book that I read a couple years ago. 

9:13:33, I closeted myself away at our plantation, only keeping in touch by occasional written word, and waited for time to do its healing work. Time trudged by so slowly. I was butterfly pinned by my wings to the canvas of my mistakes.”

Lady Windermere's Fan, written by Oscar Wilde and narrated by Michael Sheen, Emma Fielding, Sarah Badel, Juliet Stevenson, and Samuel West

Chosen because I needed an "available now" option, this short play focuses on a woman's response to the belief that her husband is having an affair. It's a witty portrayal of the difference between the judgments people make about others' morality and what's actually true about their character. I enjoyed the humor in this late 1800s play as much as I do in The Importance of Being Earnest, a play of Wilde's that I've watched live twice and on film once. Bonus points for a full cast of audiobook narrators. 

The Lion Women of Tehran, written by Marjan Kamali and narrated by Mozhan Navabi and Nikki Massoud

A novel that spans seven decades, this is a story of friendship between two young girls growing into women. Set in both Iran and America, it has familial hardships of various kinds, political unrest and activism, class differences and the mistreatment of women, betrayal and estrangement, and deep love, both romantic and platonic. This was a "skip the line" option on Libby that I really enjoyed. 

7:30:28, It sounded adorable for the Americans to have designated a specific hour as a happy one.

Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame, written by Olivia Ford

I enjoyed this novel about an elderly woman pursuing a role on Britain Bakes, the baking show she always watches, without telling her husband of 59 years that she's already auditioned. He's fully supportive once he knows, but her experience on the show comes at both a practical and emotional cost. It's a story of ambition, risk, friendship, sacrifice, grief, love, and secrets. Including a secret she's kept from him for 60 years. I learned about this book on What Should I Read Next?, episode 494 - Books brimming with creativity, philosophy, and grace. 

p. 75, To want something, she realized, was to make yourself vulnerable to losing it. 

p. 208, "I'm not expert and I certainly haven't done everything right over the years, but the strongest couples I know have grown together, supporting their partner's changes rather than harnessing or fearing them. It's a bit like growing roses - you don't get to choose exactly which way the stems unfurl, but you help them climb you get the pleasure of watching them flourish."

p. 216, She would never be able to comprehend the strange borrowed time that you experience before bad news hits; the minutes, hours, sometimes days where you reside in a bubble of ignorance, a place where small things still matter, before it is pierced by the needle of perspective.

Not Without My Daughter, written by Betty Mahmoody with William Hoffer

The author is an American citizen married to an Iranian man who'd lived in America for many years. They, along with their four year old daughter, went on a two week trip to Iran 1984 so that he could introduce them to his family. Then he held her hostage. Desperate to leave him, but unwilling to accept offers to smuggle her out of the country that required leaving their daughter behind, she ended up spending 18 months trapped in a country not her own, away from her parents and older kids, denied freedom because of her gender, and with a husband who'd become totally different than the man she married. This book, which was recommended to me by a friend, is the story of her imprisonment and escape. Her experience was terrifying, which made the book fascinating. 

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, written and narrated by Timothy Snyder

This "skip the line" Libby option is just under two hours long, so it was a convenient choice when I needed an audiobook one evening. Encouraging people to learn from world history, this book looks at the past, present, and future. While the focus is obviously to recognize and oppose tyranny, I appreciate that many of the lessons are good general advice for individuals and communities, regardless of political climates.

1:02:36, Journalists are not perfect, any more than people in other vocations are perfect, but the work of people who adhere to journalistic ethics is of a different quality than the work of those who do not. We find it natural that we pay for a plumber or a mechanic, but demand our news for free. If we did not pay for plumbing or auto repair, we would not expect to drink water or drive cars. Why, then, should we form our political judgment on the basis of zero investment? We get what we pay for. 

Send Down the Rain, written by Charles Martin and narrated by Adam Verner

There are a lot of storylines going on in this novel. A woman and her children under the clutches of an evil man. A woman widowed when her husband dies in a terrible crash. Migrant workers trying to provide for their families. A Vietnam veteran dealing with PTSD more than 40 years after the war. It's a story of love, commitment, sacrifice, and secrets. Although I enjoyed the story, the narrator's speaking felt like mood music, a cadence that felt like every sentence should carry emotional weight. Not annoying enough to bail on the book, but still noticeable. I chose this book because I'm slowly working my way through the author's backlist, in no particular order.

1:40:14, Hope has a funny way of cracking people down the middle, cutting through the tough places. 

6:39:53, "War has a way of killing you whether you die or not."

BOOKS I FINISHED - APRIL 2026

As Bright as Heaven, written by Susan Meissner and narrated by Tavia Gilbert, Jorjeana Marie, Cassandra Morris, Abigail Revasch

I learned about this book from What Should I Read Next?, episode 350 - Book mail keeps us together. I've enjoyed several other books by Meissner, so I immediately put this one on hold. Held against the backdrop of World War I, it's set in Philadelphia during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, then picks up again seven years later. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of the four main characters - a mom and her three daughters - amidst major life changes in their family, a city ravaged by illness, devastating personal and community losses, and the addition of an orphaned baby to their home. I'd have liked the book anyway, but it was an extra perk that the audio version had separate narrators for each main character.

7:40:25, Besides, home isn't a place where everything stays the same. It's a place where you are safe and loved, despite nothing staying the same.

10:46:28, "It's not always easy to identify the very best thing to do until you do what you think is best," I tell her.

The Dressmakers of Auschwitz: The True Story of the Women Who Sewed to Survive, written and narrated by Lucy Adlington

As you can imagine, this book is horrible because of the atrocities committed against Jewish people and wonderful because of the fierce determination, even when unsuccessful, to survive under unimaginably horrific circumstances. The women this book focuses on were responsible for sewing custom clothes for the wives of Nazi leaders, fancy pieces created in an Auschwitz workspace from materials stolen from Jews who were murdered there. The appalling task was their best chance at avoiding the gas chambers and they included as many women as they could. Part historical context, part personal stories, the book is interesting ... and really long. I chose it from the "available now" options on Libby. 

The Foundling, written by Ann Leary

Set in 1927 Pennsylvania, this novel is about a young woman who grew up in an orphanage and is thrilled to get a job offer from a woman she admires. What she expects to be a nice facility doing the important work of caring for women with intellectual challenges turns out to be a eugenics asylum that operates more like a prison. The vast majority of the inmates aren't feebleminded, as the name of the institution indicates, but have been forced to live there through their childbearing years because people with power and selfish motives have dishonestly deemed them so.

Incorporating issues like sexism, racism, greed, and mistreatment of the poor, the story's about our propensity to believe what we want to believe even when we see evidence to the contrary and the courage it takes to do what's right when it could come at great personal expense. Although it's a work of fiction, the novel's inspired by true events in our country's history and the institution the author's grandma worked at.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, written by Margareta Magnusson and narrated by Juliet Stevenson

Chosen as a "skip the line" option that I'd heard a lot about, this short book encourages the reader to reduce one's belongings in an intentional and thoughtful way that will make sorting through your belongings easier for those tasked with the job after your death. Although the lens the book is written through is for after you've died, and particularly geared toward people 60 and older, I always appreciate anything that helps people of any age to be mindful about what they bring into their home and why they allow it to stay. The author is "between 80 and 100" and the narrator's voice is perfect.

1:08:08, Living smaller is a relief. 

1:30:24, Even though this may sometimes seem quite hard to do, training yourself to enjoy only looking at things instead of buying them is very pleasing and also a good habit. You really can't take everything with you, so maybe it is better to try not to own it all. 

2:34, The more I have focused on my cleaning, the braver I have become. I often ask myself, "Will anyone I know be happier if I save this?" If after a moment of reflection I can honestly answer no, then off it goes into the hungry shredder again, which is always waiting for paper to chew. But before it goes into the shredder, I have had a moment to reflect on the event or feeling, good or bad, and to know that it has been a part of my story and of my life. 

The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances, written by Glenn Dixon

I learned about this book from the 4/10/26 issue of Shelf Awareness and thought it sounded interesting. The main character is an automated vacuum in a home filled with smart appliances that communicate with each other as if they were human and are connected to the Grid, which runs everything, everywhere, for everyone. The homeowners have lived there for forty years when the wife dies, leaving the husband at risk of being forcibly removed from his home because the Grid determines the space too large for a single person. With both past and present complications pertaining to the adult daughter who visits after her mom's death, this is a story about both the benefits and risks of things like smart devices and artificial intelligence in a world that's increasingly automated. It's about emotions, personal freedom, and books, set in a future that doesn't seem too distant. It's quirky and I enjoyed it.

It's Not Supposed To Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered, written and narrated by Lysa TerKeurst, including an interview by Jolene Barto

I really appreciate Lysa's commitment to studying the Bible and following Jesus, the conversational tone of her books, and her tactful transparency about the small and huge struggles in her life. As with all her books that I've read, this one has Bible verses throughout. Written in the midst of life-altering circumstances, this book encourages the reader to remember that God sees a bigger picture than we do and that the incredibly hard things in life are possible to walk through, however messily, when we keep our focus on him. I've read several of her books now, but this was the first audiobook. While I enjoy listening to her podcast, I think I prefer reading the print version of her books because it's easier for me take notes and retain things. 

20:36, To deny my feelings any voice is to rob me of being human, but to let me feelings be the only voice will rob my soul of healing perspectives, with which God wants to comfort me and carry me forward. My feelings and my faith will almost certainly come into conflict with each other. My feelings see rotten situations as absolutely unnecessary hurt that stinks. My soul sees it as fertilizer for a better future. Both these perspectives are real and they yank me in different directions with never-ending wrestling. To wrestle well means acknowledging my feelings but moving forward, letting faith lead the way. f

2:50:37, It's our choice whether we stay stuck in our hurt or get renewed in our hearts.

2:55:47, In other words, we need to remember the difference between news and truth. News comes at us to tell us what we are dealing with. Truth comes from God and then helps us process all we are dealing with. News and truth aren't always one and the same. 

3:19:50, When trust has been shattered it has to be rebuilt with believable behavior in our actions and reactions over time.

3:58:59, If we are going to be true to ourselves, we better make sure we are being true to our most surrendered, healed, and healthy selves. The ones God made us to be. 

4:39:33, I very much recognize I will steer where I stare, so I must watch what I fixate on. If I keep staring at the wrong things, I'll go in wrong directions. I am choosing to place my attention on the Lord in this very moment. I am choosing to focus on trusting him and believing his promises. And as I steer my attention more and more toward him, his peace will come and flood my heart and settle my anxious mind.

4:56:17, It's better to wrestle with truth than wallow in turmoil.

5:02:38, We are so quick to judge the quality of our lives and the reliability of God based on individual events rather than on the eventual good God is putting together. 

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, written by Kristin Harmel and narrated by Madeleine Maby, with dedication and author's note narrated by Kristin Harmel

This novel was a "skip the line" option on Libby and I enjoyed another book by this author a few years ago, so I checked it out. Told in alternating timelines, it's the story of a woman in her eighties who has spent her whole life as a jewel thief, one from a family who are modern day Robin Hoods. The older part of the story is set in Paris during WWII when she and her mom stole jewels to fund the French Resistance. The other part is in modern day Boston when a very expensive bracelet with a deeply personal connection to the woman turns up in a museum. The bracelet had been sewn into the hem of her little sister's dress the night her sister was taken, her body later found in the Seine. The seventy year mystery of who killed her sister and how the bracelet ended up on another continent the focus of the story, but with history, guilt, found family, grief, and love woven throughout.

3:01:47, But Aviva understood that caring for someone wasn't about fitting them into spaces that you'd already cut out. It was about allowing them to exist in their own way. 

7:44:30, "Why do you want to help?"

"Because when we find ourselves in darkness we can't wait for the light to find us," Colette said slowly.

"Indeed."

6:16:51, "But please always remember, my dear, that there is a difference between a life that honors the past and a life dictated by it. When you let your history shape your future you relinquish the ability to choose a better way forward."

11:09:54 (in author's note), One doesn't need to have a specific title or a specific education to become an agent of change. Change happens one act of courage at a time, one act of kindness at a time, one act of faith at a time. And those are things that all of us are capable of.  

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 7, written by Beth Brower and narrated by Genevieve Gaunt

Two things. First, I really like Hawkes, Islington, and Pierce. They're flawed, but good guys. I respect their care for and loyalty to their friends. Second, Genevieve Gaunt is a phenomenal narrator. Beyond those two things, it's business as usual with this series. Funny interactions, serious situations, high society marriage nonsense, and characters you can't help but love. 

1:04:42, A year is such an odd packet of time. It seems so ordered: a dozen months, a handful of seasons. Deceptively even. Make no mistake, it will go awry every which way. Balance? Impossible. Control? Not worth mentioning the word. Some days cling and others run, many shifting just enough to incommode but give no great variety. And then out of the pedestrian blue comes an explosion which reduces all plans to smithereens. The reward for making it through? Getting to do it again.

10:18:17, "If I hurt you, if I leave a mark on that indomitable soul of yours ..."

"You just said there's a possibility this could end in disaster, Pierce. I know the risks."

"I'm not speaking of bruises, Emma. I'm speaking of scars. If I hurt you in such a way, I walk." He lifted both his hands in surrender, taking a half step back, increasing the distance between us. 

"I will not leave you worse than before you met me."

"Impossible."

"That is the clear line I have to draw," he reiterated.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 8, written by Beth Brower and narrated by Genevieve Gaunt

Well, I'm officially done with the first batch of these books. I enjoyed them more than I expected to after reading the first one and strongly recommend people listen to the audio version. This volume felt different than the others, more serious. People and relationships are maturing, and we all know that growth doesn't come without growing pains. I'm looking forward to seeing how all the stories continue to unfold in upcoming volumes.

BOOKS I FINISHED - MARCH 2026

The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction, written by Justin Whitmel Earley

Focusing on four daily and four weekly habits, this book explains why each habit is important, gives practical suggestions for implementing the habits, includes personal anecdotes, and provides several recommended resources. And it's all framed with the humble understanding that we'll fail regularly. This book is clearly and intentionally written from the perspective of the author's Christian faith, but the behaviors suggested are applicable, doable, and beneficial regardless of religious beliefs. I learned about this book on The Daily Grace Co., episode 292, Summer Playlist: Habits of Purpose w/ Justin Whitmel Earley and really enjoyed it. 

p. 8, Education is what you learn and know - things that are taught. Formation is what you practice and do - things that are caught. The most important things in life, of course, are caught not taught, and formation is largely about all the unseen habits.

p. 34, Legalism is the belief that the world hangs on what I do and that God and people love me based on how I perform. This is an important concept because it's the exact opposite of the gospel: God loves us not because of what we do, but rather in spite of what we do - in spite of our good deeds and our bad deeds. Legalism takes the unmerited love of God and bends it into something earned - and just like that, the world is about us and not about him. 

p. 67, Attention is our precious commodity. Our life is defined by what we pay attention to. This means our life is defined by which of the many cries for our attention we heed.

p. 72, There's no love of neighbor outside of attention to neighbor.

p. 85, Anger and fear have something in common: we become the center of things.

p. 89, Planned scrolling can be very different. If you carefully curate what is in your feed and when you will scroll, the dynamic radically shifts. But in general, I believe we should be wary of the flicking thumb motion. The restless thumb often correlates to the restless heart. 

p. 98, Vulnerability and time turn people who have a relationship in to people who have a friendship. That's what friendship is: vulnerability across time.

p. 101, It's worth noting that as hard as telling the truth is, telling someone that you haven't been telling the truth is even harder. 

p. 155, Place habits before love, and you will be full of legalism, but place love before habits, and you will be full of the gospel. God's love for us really can change the way we live, but the way we live will never change God's love for us. 

p. 165, Any process of curating a beautiful life will be laced with failure. That's what process means: learning as you go. But that's not an impediment to a beautiful life: it's the way to it. 

p. 184, Like it or not, you're not as independent thinker as you wish you were. You become the stories you watch. Choose them carefully. Choose ones that challenge your perspective, ones that you know you won't agree with.

Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books, written by Hwang Bo-reum and translated from Korean by Shanna Tan

Books about books always intrigue me, but this one was different than others I've read because it's a compilation of short essays. The author focuses on many aspects of reading - what we read (bestsellers, novels, poetry, etc.), places we get books (libraries, indie bookshops, etc.), our motivation to read (using a timer, to seek answers, to live the life we want, etc.), and more (quitting books, collecting quotes, book discussions, etc.). It falls into the "it's fine" category for me, neither boring nor awesome. Although I felt mostly neutral about it, I did like the convenience of being able to read an essay or two in tiny pockets of time. I learned about this book on What Should I Read Next?, episode 515 - I can't read all the books, and that's okay.

p. 42, But when a person with a narrow outlook on what life looks like starts to read, they change. The moment we realise that the life we struggle to flee from might be what someone else years for, our worldview, once the size of a keyhole, expands as if we're standing in front of a full-length window, and our ears, clogged with lies and exaggeration, clear to welcome genuine voices speaking to us. 

p. 74, Whether it's the books I've been meaning to get to, books I'm seeing for the first time, those with worn covers or brand-new ones with stiff spines - every book seems to be waving at me: Come, read me!

p. 162, But when one chooses to fixate on a problem, the problem seems to grow larger than life, and life itself turns into a problem.

p. 182, It's not going to be a light or easy read. But we shouldn't run away. Many truths in the world are hard-hitting. If you need something easy and comforting, there are self-help books. But there are times we need to learn to live with discomfort.

'Don't run away,' I remind myself. I tend to stay in my comfort zone, and reading is my way of pushing myself beyond that. Stereotypes or biases aren't easy to break; I want to grow into a more mature person.

Finding Chika: A Little Girl, and Earthquake, and the Making of a Family, written and narrated by Mitch Albom

Having read some of Albom's other books, this one piqued my interest when I saw it as an "available now" option on Libby. It's a memoir about a young Haitian girl at an orphanage that Albom's in charge of and the relationship he and his wife have with her when she comes to America for medical care. It's their bittersweet story of love, pain, faith, grief, and family. An advantage of listening to the audiobook version of the story is that it includes several recordings of Chika's voice.

2:15:59, Sometimes life throws a saddle on you before you are ready to run.

Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make Your Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy, written and narrated by Chris Duffy

I expected to find myself more engaged in this book than I ended up being, but it was still an interesting look at the value of humor in our lives. I particularly appreciated the challenge for people to pay attention to their surroundings and to use humor as a way to connect with other people. I learned about this book from the 1/16/26 edition of Shelf Awareness. 

9:54, A sense of humor is a portal to a better life.

32:44, How do they put the toilet paper on the roll? Do they do it correctly (with the paper coming down over the top) or like a degenerate (hanging down loose and wild in the back like some kind of paper mullet)?

I'll Push You: A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair, written and narrated by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck

Chosen from the "available now" options on Libby, I enjoyed this memoir about two men who traveled the Camino de Santiago together. Lifelong best friends, one has a disease that has slowly (and sometimes quickly) taken away the use of his arms and legs. This book is not only about one pushing the other and a wheelchair through the mountains of Spain for several weeks, but also about their shared history, the impact of commitment in a friendship, the blessing of helping others and being helped by them, the kindness of strangers, and the personal growth experienced on a journey countless people have taken as a spiritual pilgrimage.

5:21:34, That's when I realized that more often than not the miracle isn't the absence of struggle, disease, or pain. It is the presence of grace and certainty; the ability to face strife, the unknown, or a slow death without fear.  

5:25:43, Life is messy and the only way I can make it through is to let others carry the burdens I can't. That I have to let go of the safety I find in my own abilities. I have to let go of the reins so I can embrace the provision of others. 

The Letter Keeper, written by Charles Martin and narrated by Jonathan K. Riggs

Having read the first novel in this series back in December, I enjoyed this next installment of the story. The main character is a man who's dedicated his life to rescuing kids, primarily girls, who have been victims of human trafficking. New love, a second marriage, and all the women he cares about most being stolen at one time are at the center of this story that also includes deep friendship, fierce loyalty, and sacrificial love. 

4:19:01, "There's a thing that happens when we start to believe the lies about ourselves, and when we think other people believe them to. Those lies become our prison, the bars we see through. They hold us captive. It's like some giant hand holding our head beneath the surface of the water. Every few minutes it will let us up, only to sink us farther the next go around. A vicious cycle. In my experience, only one thing on planet earth breaks the power of that hand and flings wide the prison doors."

She nodded, whispering. "The truth?"

"And until you speak it with your mouth, out loud, you're bound." 

And the Mountains Echoed, written by Khaled Hosseini and narrated by Khaled Hosseini, Navid Negahban, and Shohreh Aghdashloo

This was an "available now" option on Libby and I really liked A Thousand Splendid Suns, another book by the same author, a couple years ago, so I checked it out. The story centers on a young brother and sister from a poor family in Afghanistan, separated in childhood when the sister was sold to a couple without children. Along with the stories of their lives over many decades, the book also focuses on the lives of several secondary characters and family relationships. Although I didn't dislike it, it felt a bit disjointed and wandering to me. I wonder if I'd have felt differently if I'd read the print version. That being said, I loved the narration and enjoyed each of the storylines. 

Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, written by Virginia Roberts Giuffre with collaborator Amy Wallace

Published six months after the author's suicide, and including an introduction from her collaborator written after Giuffre's death, this book is an important and challenging one to read. As one of the many survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking, and one who went public with accusations involving both him and Ghislaine Maxwell, her story will break your heart and disgust you. It will also make you admire her fight for accountability, despite great personal cost, and increase your respect for those who advocate for victims. Broken into four sections, you'll learn about her childhood, the years she was trafficked, her life after escaping, and her legal battle for justice. 

It goes without saying that there are general content warnings because the book centers on sexual abuse and pedophilia, but I also want to give a specific warning that there are detailed descriptions of some interactions, particularly in the first half. While I'm not offended by those descriptions because I think they're critical for understanding the horror of what happened, I personally chose to skim over some parts because I'd read enough to get the gist of things and reading every word wasn't going to benefit me.

The Poetry Remedy: Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind, and Soul, written by William Sieghart

Originally published in the UK as The Poetry Pharmacy, the same name as the in person poetry consultations the author has with people, this book shares specific poems for specific problems. I like the format, which names the condition being treated (need for reassurance, loss of creativity, regret, social overload, unrequited love, and so on), other ailments it could be suitable for, one page of the author's thoughts on the topic, and one page (occasionally more for a long poem) with a single relevant poem. I learned about this book from This Book Made Me Think of You, written by Libby Page, which I read last month. 

p. 22, Welcome your sorrows, as you would a friend or a guest to your life. Let them perch on you for a while, like a particularly bold butterfly. And yet by the same token, don't clutch them to you. Don't enjoy their company too much. One day they're going to want to fly away; and you're going to have to let them. 

p. 120, In their heads and in their jumbled suitcases, first-generation immigrants bring whole new worlds with them to their adopted homes; their different perspective allows them to see the places they move to in ways that more established or jaded residents probably never would, and to help others see it that way, too. 

p. 160, The wisest people know that the fact something happens to everyone does not somehow invalidate its agony. Pain is pain, whether it is unique or universal.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 5, written by Beth Brower and narrated by Genevieve Gaunt

I'm still enjoying this series and the progressive character development. It's a good mix of lighthearted fluff and real life struggles. I love its focus on friendship, as well as how grief is handled. 

6:35:15, I've decided positivity is the Everest of virtues. You have to not only confront the dismal realities of life but choose, oft times, to blatantly ignore them. 

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 6, written by Beth Brower and narrated by Genevieve Gaunt

Six down, two to go in this series. I love all the characters, even the obnoxious ones, and am so impressed with all the voices the narrator uses. 

45:08, I've never thought of myself as a person who hates. The word itself hits its target with a sickening thud. I know this from having been on the receiving end of such sentiments. However, I do defend the philosophy that someone can fit rather snugly on an enemies list without it sneaking over into unadulterated hatred. As a less than average Christian, I do my best to keep my feelings in the realm of extravagant dislike with a hefty dose of disdain.