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."

PUZZLES I FINISHED - MAY 2026

Springtime in Paris - Artist: Shutterstock image - Page Publications - 1,000 pieces

Although the pieces themselves weren't awesome, I loved the scene. Especially all the windows.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for scissors. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful some neighbors came over to ask for cuttings as I pruned a shrub in our yard because I met new people and they were eager to propagate. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

5/15/26 - WORTH REPEATING

*****

Fill your church with multitudes and with eloquence and with incense and with color till the eye is weighted by its oppressiveness, but if the waiting, panting, broken heart is not there, Christ is miles away, yes, on the other side of the horizon, with His back to us. The Son of Man came to seek and save that which is lost. He comes to our poverty, weakness, and self-renunciation, not to our wealth and strength and self-assertion. 

- Joseph Parker in In His Presence: Daily Devotionals Through the Gospel of Matthew, compiled and edited by Lance Wubbels 

*****

Failure aint the opposite of success.
Its part of the syllabus.

~Snoop Dogg // 1/17/26 Facebook post

*****

Goodness and beauty and contentment; they grow the deepest roots in the darkest places. They just do. And it's not a good time. But it's also like really, really beautiful, and sometimes just enough of a glimmer in your hard season to help you get through another day. So if you are in that place, in a place of just wishing this would all be over, be honest and kind in it. 

~ Kendra Adachi // 12 Ways to Be a Better Problem Solver, Part 2 // The Lazy Genius

*****

Because if you want to grow, something has to go. Growth always involves goodbyes. Not just to possessions, but to habits, routines, expectations, sometimes people or past versions of ourselves. This is where our progress often slows down. We say we want to change but we hesitate when it asks something from us. So we delay the decision. We keep what's familiar. We carry more than we need to. But every step forward requires something to be left behind. Of course the clearer you are about who you want to become, the easier it becomes to release what no longer supports that life. So you get clear on the person you want to be and the life you want to live. Then start saying goodbye to everything that isn't that. 

~ Joshua Becker // 4/7/26 Facebook reel // Becoming Minimalist 

*****

You know, trust is the oxygen of all human relationships. So you starve a relationship of trust and you will starve it, of its vibrancy, potentially you'll even starve it to death.

~ Lysa TerKeurst // 7 Things That Build and Break Trust in Your Marriage // Therapy and Theology

*****

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful that we have so many fantastic neighbors. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

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.