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2025: My Year in Books

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Another year has passed, and I am so grateful I filled my time reading books. Reading continues to be my favorite way to decompress and escape reality. Here's a quick review of the goals I set for 2025: Read 75 books. Work on my TBR: physical copies, copies of books in my Kindle, and books that come through on the Libby app. Write more. While I struggle with this goal, I am going to make writing a priority in the new year. Just like I make reading a priority, I will make time for writing. Specifically, I will dedicate one hour each week to writing, whether it be a blog post, Instagram post, or jotting a story idea.  This year I read 86 books. Out of the 86, I borrowed 44 books from the library via the Libby app. If we assume that a book costs around $15, then I saved $660! Wow! If you don’t have a library card and the Libby app, run to the library now! I did a much better job reading my TBR pile this year, including two Christmas novels by Debbie Macomber. They were sweet, cute, an...
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Best Books of 2025 (oops! 2024)

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 As I reflected on the books I read in 2025, I first picked the best books of each month. Here they are: As I chose a book for each month, I noticed that it was difficult to pick a favorite for each month. Some months there were multiple books that I really loved; other months, I read books that were just ok. Because of this, I wanted to add in some honorable mentions: Prior to ending the year with Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez, I read the first two books in her  Part of Your World series: Yours Truly (book #2) and Part of Your World (book #1). Yours Truly was my December pick before reading Just for the Summer . Abby's writing style had me flipping through a 400 page book in just days! If you like rom-coms, give her books a try. Her The Friend Zone series has been added to my TBR. There were a few books that I reread this year: Yellowface , Daring Greatly , Now We're Talking , and Atomic Habits . Any book worth rereading deserves a mention! I started the year with...
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The Shortest Blog That Ever Lived

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I cannot believe that it is the end of June. While I have not kept up my goal of sharing book reviews each month in this space, I have been sharing a short visual on Instagram. I thought I'd do something similar here to recap the books I've read so far this year. This is going to be a simple YES - read the book or NO - don't bother, in what I'd like to call The Shortest Blog That Ever Lived .  Yellowface - YES, a thousand times YES Braving the Wilderness - YES The Paradise Problem - YES Good Half Gone - NO The Education of Dixie Dupree - NO The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups - NO Homegoing - YES Killers of the Flower Moon - YES on Audio The Teacher - YES (cringe alert) The Fourth Wing - YES (if you love fantasy) Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me - YES on Audio The Women - YES, YES, YES! The Exception to the Rule - NO Worst Wingman Ever - NO Hacking School Discipline - YES (for education) The Reading List - YES! Loved it! Digital Minimalism - YES on...
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2023: My Favorite Reads

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 In 2023, I set these book goals: Read 60 books. Gift the books in my TBR stack after reading them. Write! Use this creative outlet to keep calm and share ideas with others.  Here's what I accomplished: Read 68 books.   Gave away many of my hardcover/paperback books. I wrote six blog posts documenting the books I read each month. This happened each month during the first six months of 2023. I really enjoyed writing a monthly blog post, and I'm tinkering around with ways to restart this habit. Originally, I rated 14 books with five stars. After reflecting, I've listed my true five star reads: The Four Agreements Hello Beautiful Remarkably Bright Creatures What Happened to You? Demon Copperhead A Court of Mist and Fury The Gifts of Imperfection Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Mad Honey Atomic Habits Here are my favorite books by genre: Best Nonfiction - The Four Agreements : This book is one that I know I'll read over and over. The author, Don Miguel Ruiz, shares fou...
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Summer is for Reading! June 2023 Books

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A Secret in the Family (Kindle Unlimited)  While I was curious to see how this book ended, I had a moment pretty early on where I accurately predicted the ending. The book lacked suspense and had me wanting to just finish it. It was a short read, and I’m grateful for that. I don’t think I could have stuck it out more than 240 pages!  ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Golden Hills (Novella - Kindle Unlimited) This story connected the main character’s current life with a blast from the past from summer camp at Camp Golden Hills. I loved this quick read because it connected to the same weight loss camp from The Breakaway , and Abby made a cameo. While it was just 50 pages, it was a great story of forgiveness and perception.  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Class (ARC - NetGalley - Release Date - Nov. 7, 2023) Recently, I read Maid  by Stephanie Land, so when I noticed she had written another book, I put in for a request to read it! She writes in a way that continually pulls me in and has me wanting to hear more of he...
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"May" I Recommend a Few Books? (May 2023 Reads)

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I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness (Libby - audiobook) Austin Channing Brown begins this book with the story of her name: a name given to her, intentionally, by her parents... a white man’s name. She shares the racism she faces each and every day as a black woman. As I read this book, I thought about the realities of racism that is still very present in 2023, and the microaggressions I observe. In the last chapter, Austin talks about resting in the shadow of hope.  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ November 9 (Libby): Wow! In typical Colleen Hoover fashion, this book was a page-turner! I fell in love with Ben and Fallon and the connection they have on November 9th. I also enjoyed a cameo from Miles and Tate from Ugly Love ! (Ben’s brother Ian is a pilot and became friends with Miles in flight school.) There were many twists and turns in Ben and Fallon’s story, and this book left me with feelings of hopefulness and healing.  Artfully Teaching the Science of Reading (paperback...
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April Audiobooks Bring May Magazines?!

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April was a month for audiobooks! Toward the end of the month I struggled to sit down and focus to read, so I went to my trusty Libby App to find some audiobooks to get me out of the slump! I finished two audiobooks in April and finished a third just a few days into May. Audiobooks, novellas, and reads by my favorite authors are my go-to when I’m struggling with reading.  Where We Belong (Kindle Unlimited): This book by Emily Giffin was a page-turner! The story alternated between the perspectives of two characters: Marian and Kirby and focused on their connection. Honesty, vulnerability, shame, and acceptance are big themes in this story. I feel like I can’t share too much of the plot without spoilers, but I will share that there were times that the story felt predictable and too fast-moving. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it! I love books by Emily Giffin!  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Bodyguard (Checked out via Libby): I’ve waited weeks to read this book! #libraryholdstru...
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