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.

BOOKS I FINISHED - FEBRUARY 2026

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted, written and narrated by Suleika Jaouad

In her early twenties, a recent college graduate pursuing a career overseas, Jaouad was diagnosed with leukemia. The first half of this memoir is about the years spent as a cancer patient - her illness and treatment, the romantic relationship started shortly before her diagnosis, her family's unwavering support, the people she met along the way, and the newspaper column she chronicled her experience through. The second half is about learning how to live again - figuring out who she is outside of cancer, making hard decisions, seeking the input of specific people who have made an impact on her, and taking a long road trip. Recommended by a friend, I enjoyed this book. 

A Chance in the World: An Orphan Boy, a Mysterious Past, and How He Found a Place Called Home, written by Steve Pemberton

I always love stories about an underdog beating the odds, which is exactly what this book is. The author spent most of his childhood as a foster child living in horrific circumstances, wondering where he came from and who he belonged to. Those questions were eventually answered, but as is often the case, the information that satisfied curiosity was not without complications. His is a story of so many kinds of pain, but also of hope, growth, and a fierce determination to create a different life than the one he'd been handed. I learned about this book when I saw it at Powell's last summer and really enjoyed it.

p. 27, Books for me were what the ocean is to the fearless explorer - deep and mysterious, boundless and soothing. I loved the smell of books, the feel of their weight in my hands, the rustle of the pages as I turned them, the magnificent illustrations on the covers that promised hidden treasures within.

p. 203, Although part of me would always long for what had been lost, I needed to end this fruitless task of trying to reclaim my history as if it were an antique capable of restoration. 

The Correspondent, written by Virginia Evans

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. I'd wanted to listen to the audio, as it has a full cast of narrators, but the print version had a much shorter wait list. I'm not a re-reader, but I'm going to put myself back on the hold list for the audio. 

Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery, written by Henry Marsh

Broken down into chapters named after various brain problems he's treated, this book weaves together the author's journey to becoming a neurosurgeon and the decades spent working in the field with stories of specific patients and their surgeries. I found the medical aspect fascinating and appreciated the transparency about his confidence, fear, success, and failure. The behind-the-scenes look at the business part of medical care in London, where he lives, Kiev, where he's traveled extensively, and even America, as students are sent overseas to work with him, was also interesting. I discovered this book from Ex Libris: 100+ Books to Read and Reread, written by Michiko Kakutani, a book I didn't finish. 

p. 139, I left them in the little room, their knees squeezed together as the four of them sat on the small sofa and wondered, yet again, as I walked away down the dark hospital corridor, at the way we cling so tightly to life and how there would be so much less suffering if we did not. Life without hope is hopelessly difficult but at the end hop can so easily make fools of us all. 

p. 180, Doctors need to be held accountable, since power corrupts. There must be complaints procedures and litigation, commissions of enquiry, punishment and compensation. At the same time if you do not hide or deny any mistakes when things go wrong, and if your patients and their families know that you are distressed by whatever happened, you might, if you are lucky, receive the precious gift of forgiveness.

A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck, written by Sophie Elmhirst and narrated by Marisa Calin

An English couple decided to live at sea in the early 1970s, a dream come to a fruition. But things took a drastic turn for the worse when their boat was hit by a whale and promptly sunk. This book is about the four months that they fought for their lives in the middle of the ocean, but it's also about the time leading up to their trip, their rescue, and the aftermath. It's about survival and marriage, mental health and fame, codependency and adventure. I enjoyed the story, which I learned about from Modern Mrs. Darcy's 12/22/25 post, 15 crowd-pleasing books I find myself recommending all the time. 

The Midnight Children, written by Dan Gemeinhart and narrated by Andre Santana

Seven kids who show up to a vacant house in the middle of the night. The lonely boy who sees their arrival. A creepy man who's hunting for the kids. Community members of various ages who come in and out of the story. This middle grade novel, which I found as a "skip the line" option on Libby, is about friendship, chosen family, secrets, loyalty, and learning to do the right thing, even when you're scared. 

3:00:29, Sometimes, when a soul is very sad, it doesn't really want to not be sad; it just wants to not be sad alone. 

Short, written by Holly Goldberg Sloan and narrated by Tara Sands

I've been intentional about listening to middle grade novels lately and looked for one from this author because I've enjoyed three of her others. This one is about a short girl who ends up cast as a munchkin for a summer production of The Wizard of Oz, a play she's not particularly interested in being part of. Of course, by the end of the book she's stretched her comfort zone, learned a lot, and grown in self-confidence, thanks to the friendship, leadership, and mentorship of various adults in her life - an adult with dwarfism who's in the play, an elderly neighbor with loads of creativity and artistic ability, and a director who sees what she needs before she does. Bonus points for the subtle nods to a Eugene setting. 

6:15:38, "Young people need models, not critics." I smile. He adds, "A basketball coach said that. I forget his name." (The internet tells me the quote is from John Wooden.)

6:33:04, I grew this summer. Not on the outside, but on the inside. And that's the only place where growing really matters. 

Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, written by C. S. Lewis and narrated by Ralph Cosham

I needed an audiobook and this came up as a "skip the line" option on Libby. Given that I enjoyed watching The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis and reading Once Upon a Wardrobe, written by Patti Callahan last year, I thought I might like it. Although I did listen to the whole thing, I didn't particularly enjoy it. The parts that intrigued me were about his life, most of which I was familiar with because of last year's book and movie. The parts about philosophy and the shifts in his beliefs over the years - which, admittedly, are the whole point of the book - bored me. Of course, those are the exact parts that would make other readers enjoy the book. Each to their own.

2:57:46, Where oppression does not completely and permanently break the spirit, has it not a natural tendency to produce retaliatory pride and contempt?

5:44:44, From seeing this, one passes to the realization that our own age is also a period and certainly has, like all periods, its own characteristic illusions. They are likeliest to lurk in those widespread assumptions which are so ingrained in the age that no dares to attack or feels it necessary to defend them. 

This Book Made Me Think of You, written by Libby Page

I love a book about books, so this novel piqued my interest when I saw it on Salem Public Library's 2/10/26 post. The main character had been widowed for six months when she received a gift from her dead husband. Knowing of both his impending death and her love of reading, he'd collaborated with a local bookstore owner to give her a full year of books from him, one per month. Each book includes a letter from him explaining why he chose it. I love that the novel includes a list of titles at the start of each chapter, along with the books mentioned in each chapter. This tender story is about grief and growth, the helpful and hurtful ways the grieving and those who love them handle the process, and the way books can change our lives.  

p. 92, Getting back into reading feels like stepping inside the house of a beloved friend she hasn't seen for a long time. It feels like coming home. 

p. 402, The real magic of books is when turning the final page doesn't mean an ending but a beginning - a beginning that only you can write. When a book sends you to a place you've never been or encourages you to do something new or simply to live with a little more empathy or curiosity because of the characters you have met. 

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 3, written by Beth Brower and narrated by Genevieve Gaunt

This series continues to provide me with lighthearted entertainment as the main character, a young woman with what I'd call pluck, lives in London's high society during the 1800s. With a mixture of expected deference and witty independence, she's figuring out how to balance the life she has to live and the one she wants to. I enjoy the cast of characters, even more so with their distinct voices in the audio version of the books.

2:35:04, "It's messier than we ever imagined it to be as children," he said. 

"What?"

"Life." 

3:04:30, "I learned a long time ago that my happiness has to be separate from the things beyond my control."

3:45:48, How wonderful a thing to find one's friends.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 4, written by Beth Brower and narrated by Genevieve Gaunt

More shenanigans and serious moments from 1880s London. This series feels a little different than most books I read, but I continue to find it entertaining. It's a good palate cleanser among more serious books. 

3:02:39, Is it immoral to marry a man solely to gain a library? And if that man happens to be tremendously good looking, is it more or less of a sin?

BOOKS I FINISHED - JANUARY 2026

 

Barbara Isn't Dying, written by Alina Bronsky and translated from German by Tim Mohr

This book, which I learned about from What Should I Read Next?, episode 408 - Reading around the world, is about an elderly man who wakes up and wonders if his wife died because he can't smell the coffee she always has brewing in the morning. She's still alive, but he immediately finds himself thrust into responsibilities he's never had in at least fifty years of marriage as he becomes both homemaker and caregiver. It's a story of marriage, gender roles, family dynamics, and community relationships, filled with love, tension, secrets, regrets, grief, and people doing the best they can in the circumstances they're in. It's sad, funny, and very human. I loved it.

Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany, written and illustrated by Jane Mount

I love everything about this book. Books about books always intrigue me, but this one's easy to read in little bits of time, all the bookish trivia is interesting, and the painted illustrations are awesome. Each two page spread covers a bookish topic (formative faves, novels of the 1800s, iconic covers, southern lit, dystopia, bookmobiles, read around the world, etc.) and some topics are repeated throughout the book (beloved bookstores, writing rooms, striking libraries, etc.). Mount also has three other book-related books - two for adults (I'm skimmed one and haven't seen the other yet), one for kids (loved it) - that she's illustrated.

Finding Lost, written by Holly Goldberg Sloan and narrated by Khaya Fraites 

I did a search for good middle grade audiobooks and this was on one list. A girl, her younger brother, and their mom are still grieving the death of their dad and husband a few years earlier. Small town life, a stray dog the family takes in, intergenerational relationships, and learning to accept change when security is all you want. I've previously enjoyed two other books by this author and this one was also a win. Bonus points that it was unexpectedly set on the Oregon coast, in a town where I spent a lot of time when I was eighteen.

The Friendship Bench: How Fourteen Grandmothers Inspired a Mental Health Revolution, written by Dixon Chibanda, MD

I enjoyed this book about how personal connections, taking the time to listen to someone's story, developing ties within your community, recognizing the long-term impact of political and cultural events, and demonstrating genuine compassion make a radical difference in helping those struggling with their mental health. Based on the work of a psychiatrist in Zimbawbe and his collaboration with several elderly women in his community, a project that eventually went worldwide, it's a reminder that medical science and shared humanity both have their place in healing, but that the latter is far more accessible to everyone than the former. I particularly loved the author's humility in admitting his own struggles and his willingness to keep learning, always adding to what he already knows for a more well-rounded way of thinking that benefits even more people. I also respect the intentional choice to team up with older women who have a perspective that comes from many decades of life experience and who are already respected in their communities. This book isn't on my TBR and I've checked all the places I get book recommendations without any luck, so I have no idea how I heard about it. 

p. 92, She simply nodded and affirmed, "There is no culture that is superior to another culture."

p. 111, "The first thing you say is, 'I'm here for your. Would you like to share your story with me?'"

The Frozen River, written by Ariel Lawhon and narrated by Jane Oppenheimer with author's note narrated by Lawhon

Included in a friend's list of top books in 2025, which is how I learned about it, this novel is set in Maine during the late 1700s. It's a story of murder, midwifery, and marriage (hooray for unintentional alliteration!) at a time in our country when women had no voice. Told from the perspective of a middle-aged woman - a wife in a strong, healthy marriage, a mother with both pride in and concern for her mostly adult children, a midwife who's privy to personal information about many people in the community, a literate woman (most women weren't) who could testify in court on her own (other women had to have a husband or father with them in order to speak) - it's inspired by a real person and I enjoyed it. Heads up that there are descriptions of rape and that the legal proceedings concerning it are a major plot point.

11:41:37, Though you never think it possible, you can celebrate and grieve in the same breath. It is a holy abomination.

Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma, written by Melanie Shankle

This book, which I learned about in The Latest Lazy Letter from The Lazy Genius in April 2025, is about the author's dysfunctional relationship with her very toxic mom, as well as the way that relationship impacted the author's own approach to motherhood. Spanning childhood through well into adulthood, the reader learns about the damage that came from that unhealthy relationship and the cycle of personal growth and boundary setting that allowed her to move forward in a healthy way. That experience later allowed her to guide her own daughter through the cruel relationships she'd face in high school. For those it matters to, the author writes from a Christian viewpoint and her faith, while not preachy, is definitely apparent.

p. 120, However, the key to letting God completely heal you is to fully grieve as you surrender the hope you had that things could be different and trust that He will redeem what you've been through in ways you can't see at the time. He will truly give us beauty for the ashes of things in our lives that have burned down.

p. 137, There is something incredibly healing about getting to be the thing in someone else's life that you wished you'd had in your own. 

p. 147, Whatever we value or pay the most attention to in our children's lives are the things we're telling them are the most important. So if they see us focus on social standing, athletic achievements, academic prowess, and material things more than on kindness, contentment, humility, and respect, we're failing them as humans. 

Here One Moment, written by Liane Moriarty and narrated by Caroline Lee and Geraldine Hakewill

Moriarty, an Australian author, has written several novels, but I'd never read any until this one came up as a "skip the line" option on Libby when I needed an audiobook. It starts with an older woman on a plane telling the other passengers at what age and in what manner she predicts they'll die. Their reactions vary from amusement to anger, but everyone pays more attention when the first prediction comes true. Alternating between the woman's life story and the experiences of several passengers who were impacted by the predictions she made about them, this is a story about family, friendship, and romantic pursuits, as well as of the power of fear, what it means to live, and the reasons we make the choices we do. I learned about this book on Modern Mrs. Darcy - My favorite audiobooks of 2025. 

4:48:24, "Don't buy into this idea that you've only truly lived if you've traveled. As if taking the same photos at the same tourist spots as everyone else is the only thing that counts as living."

8:29:05, Marriage is a mysterious institution, even from the inside. Sometimes it can feel like a softly furnished minimum security prison. 

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death, written by Maggie O'Farrell

Usually a novelist, O'Farrell shifted to memoir for this book. Each chapter is about a time her life came close to ending. Chance encounters, childhood disease, medical catastrophe, plans gone awry - and, in the final chapter, her own daughter's daily battle to stay alive. In writing about all the times she could have died, her book also becomes about the gift of living. I found the writing style beautiful, her use of words artistic. Anne Bogel is a fan of O'Farrell, so I probably heard about this book on an episode of What Should I Read Next? and failed to make note of it, but I'm not sure.

p. 119 (quoting Seven Gothic Tales, written by Karen Blixen), I  know a cure for everything: salt water ... in one way or the other. Sweat, or tears, or the salt sea.

The Night in Question, written by Susan Fletcher

Part mystery - an apparent suicide attempt may have actually been an attempted murder. Part history - a woman in her late eighties thinks back over the people she's loved and experiences she's had throughout her life. Most books lean toward either plot or character, but I felt like this one, which I enjoyed, was balanced between the two. Set in an assisted living facility, this novel, which I learned about from a friend, has characters of all personalities, a timeline that alternates between the past and the present, grand adventures, profound grief, and deep friendship. For those who like reading authors from outside of America, Fletcher (different than the Susan Fletcher who wrote Shadow Spinner) is from England. 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, written by Betty Smith and narrated by Kate Burton with afterword written and narrated by Jacquelyn Mitchard

I'd never read this classic book and checked it out when it showed up on Libby's "skip the line" list. This character driven story is set in the early 1900s and chronicles the life of a girl from age 11 to 17, including several immediate and extended family members. It deals with a variety of experiences - poverty, education, hard work, alcoholism, social class, gender norms, family life, career aspirations, political situations - in ways that are tender, funny, sad, maddening, and very human. I enjoyed the book and plan to watch the movie.

2:52:34, She started a new life where her old one left off. She exchanged her tenderness for capability. She gave up her dreams and took over hard realities in their place.

4:49:22, Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows it can read printed words. 

5:20:19, "You had tickets, but you thought you could be smart and get something you weren't entitled to. When people gamble, they think only of winning. They never think of losing. Remember this: Someone has to lose and it's just as apt to be you as the other fellow."

5:57:14, Francie had heard swearing since she had heard words. Obscenity and profanity had no meaning as such among those people. They were emotional expressions of inarticulate people with small vocabularies. They made a kind of dialect. The phrases could mean many things according to the expression and tone used in saying them. So now, when Francie heard themselves called "lousy bastards", she smiled tremulously at the kind man. She knew that he was really saying, "Goodbye. God bless you."

13:19, "I will not speak falsely and say to you, 'Do not grieve for me when I go.' I have loved my children and tried to be a good mother and it is right that my children grieve for me. But let your grief be gentle and brief, and let resignation creep into it."

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 2, written by Beth Brower and narrated by Genevieve Gaunt

In need of light fiction, and having been told after reading the print version of the first book in this series last month that audio is a better option, I was happy to see volume two available immediately on Libby. This book is a continuation of witty journal entries from a young woman navigating societal expectations, financial struggles, problematic relatives, and more in the 1880s.