The Christian Bookworm

September Reads

2026-10-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

GROWN-UP READS:

📖 Bible study: Slowly studying Ezekiel with my husband. What a wild journey!

📖 Authentically, Izzy (Christian, fiction)... This was a cute You've Got Mail vibes rom-com written mostly as a modern-day epistolary novel (texts, emails, and messages on a dating website). I don't think I'll necessarily seek out the next two, since my library doesn't have them, but if I ever spot them in the wild I'll be happy.

📖 Borders of the Heart (Christian, fiction)... I listened to this one because I saw it on a list of good Christian fiction for high school boys. It's about a man old enough to have been married and have a three-year-old child, and it contains a lot of violence performed by a cartel member, but I do think a young man would enjoy the action and rescue elements. Racism against undocumented Mexicans is depicted here which does include some racial slurs.

📖 God So Close (Christian, nonfiction)... I enjoyed this book on the Holy Spirit and was inspired by it multiple times- just what you want out of a read like this!

📖 The Lost Story of Via Belle (Christian, historical fiction, timeslip)... This was my church book club's pick for September and it got mixed reviews. Only four of us read this month's book. I loved it, as did another friend, but the other two were not fans. It took me a few chapters to get into our modern character's story but I was interested in the 1940s storyline right away. Definitely not squeaky clean and not one I'll be adding to my kids' high school shelves but I still enjoyed it.

📖 A Rumored Fortune (Christian, historical fiction)... This was not my usual style but I did mostly enjoy it. I am interested in a few others by the author too so we shall see what I think of those!

📖Start With the Heart (Christian, nonfiction, parenting)... I loved this author's book 8 Great Smarts for Homeschoolers and really love her heart for parenting. It came as no surprise at all to me that I loved this one too and can't recommend it enough, especially for someone who is having behavioral struggles with one of their children. My biggest takeaway was something I had already taken away from 8GS though, which is that it is just so important to love, support, and respect our children for exactly who God designed them to be (not who we parents maybe might think they ought to be, for example!) and that COMMUNICATION IS KING!!!

📖You're the One That I Want (Christian, fiction)... This was book six in the series and it felt so different from the others! To me, anyway. I really enjoyed it though and I'm looking forward to the final book, the Christmas book! I do plan to then read the other Deep Haven books but I don't expect them to contain much if any mentions of the Christiansen family. I guess we'll see!

YA & MIDDLE GRADE READS

📖 The Disappearing Seat (Christian, middle grade, fiction, book 2 in series)... Five stars, absolutely loving this series! I've got it in seventh grade and can't wait for one of my girls in particular to read this one.

📖 Dragons of Starlight #1: Starlighter (Christian, YA, fantasy fiction)... More violence/gore than I want to see but overall fine.

📖 The Elite Seat (Christian, middle grade, fiction, book 3 in series)... I really liked this third book, though admittedly slightly less than the first two. But I ADORED the first two so it's still high praise and I'm excited to try out the fourth!

📖 Freedom Seekers #2 Race for Freedom (Christian, middle grade, historical fiction, TGTB book list)... I liked this one fine, will try book 3.

📖 Hiding Edith (secular, fictionalized biography, TGTB book list)... I think this is my 5th Kathy Kacer book and I've really liked all of them. She's great at writing a powerful WWII story for kids that's still full of hope and not just darkness.

📖 Lines of Courage (secular, middle grade, historical fiction)... I really enjoyed this WWI novel and can't wait to hear my 8th grader's thoughts! I think she's our favorite middle grade historical fiction author.

📖 The Lost Puppy (secular, chapter book, fiction)... These books mostly feel the same but they've been a hit for us in the 2nd/3rd grade shelf.

📖 Mark of the Thief (secular, historical fiction, fantasy)... There was more violence and injury description in this book than I like but my oldest is excited about it and I'm going to go ahead and let him try it. We can't get book two from our library so we'll see if he likes it enough to add it to our used book watch-for list or not.

📖 The Messengers (Greystone Secrets #3) (secular, middle grade, fiction)... I thought this was a great end to a great series.

📖Son of Charlemagne (secular, historical fiction, TGTB Book List)... This is not my personal preferred time period but I was pleasantly surprised anyway. I shouldn't have been, though. It's on basically every list of good homeschool reads. =]

📖 Spying on Spies (secular, middle grade, nonfiction, history)... This was a great nonfiction about a famous female code breaker of WWII which I happily added to our 8th grade book list.

📖 Zoey and Sassafras #4 and #5: The Pod and the Bog (secular, chapter book, fiction, TGTB book list)... This is just a cute, playful series. Random science facts do show up. We did add these to our 3rd grade shelf.

📚 PICTURE BOOKS WE LOVED: Amazing Grace // Holy Holy Holy // If You Give a Pig a Pancake //

Favorite read this month: Probably the two Elita Brown books I read! I can't wait for book 4!

New Releases I've Been Enjoying

2026-10-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

I had such an exciting bunch of review books lately! I know what I like and have time for so I've learned (in my DECADE as a Christian book reviewer!) to say no to the books I'm not excited about and even the ones I'm excited about but don't have time for. Because of that, it's pretty rare for me to fully dislike a review book. But it's also pretty rare for me to have so many great homeruns in a row! Here are the new releases (or coming-soon releases) I've been enjoying lately.

Exploring Psalms and Proverbs (Nonfiction, devotional)... This is a great morning devotional option for those of you who enjoy an artistic start to your day. I love the pre-made scripture art but there are also journal prompts and sections where you create your own art. Some coloring journals/devotionals feel a bit disjointed but this one doesn't at all since it's specifically focused on Psalms and then Proverbs. One of my daughters is incredibly excited to add this to her morning time routine.

Irreplaceable (nonfiction)... This book is focused on the intersection of technology and our Christian vocations with a specific emphasis on work, family, church, and societal vocations. My goodness! I admittedly skipped the workplace chapter since I am not currently in the traditional workforce but I read the rest and loved it! I've been recommending it to everyone and thinking about it constantly. The footnotes were spectacular, too. I've got a huge list of books and articles to read now and right away borrowed one of the mentioned books from the library.

Theology for Life (nonfiction)... This book is a slower read for me, as in I keep re-reading sentences more slowly to really take them in. I have thought and discussed a lot while reading this one and will go back to it again and again as I'm continuing to learn and process theology. There's a lot to it, isn't there? I do want to clarify that the joy mentioned on the cover is referring to your internal joy about Jesus, not that this is a playful, joyful book. That should be obvious but for some reason I was expecting something really light-hearted in tone where it is of course more serious and educational.

Where Wonder Leads (fiction with lots of nonfiction inserts, middle grade, nature/science, great homeschool resource)... I really loved this book and can't wait to share it with my kids! Because it is kind of business-parable in nature, a nature study book written as a fictional story where a young girl is learning about nature with nonfiction inserts, I am excited to use this as a homeschool resource for our morning reading time! It would also make for a great book for a middle grade reader to read on his/her own and I am confident at least two of my children will read this on their own once I'm done reading it with everyone.

*I received a free copy of each of these books from their respective publishers in exchange for my honest reviews.

Christian fiction featuring 30-something main characters

2026-10-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

I repeatedly notice how often the main character of my fiction ends up being a twenty-something. I think it's helpful and important to read about people in a different place in life than me, but that does not only mean people in their 20s! I have been keeping count for quite some time now and my lists of characters in their 40s and older are still so tiny! They grow at a snail's pace, but at least they grow! Today I want to share my list of main characters in their 30s.

Authentically, Izzy... Either I didn't catch Izzy's age or it wasn't specified, but I do assume she's in her 30s. Our mail main character (Brodie), however, is most definitely age 34. This book was epistolary until about page 250. That did throw me off a bit but I quickly recovered and just enjoyed this fun rom-com.

Baxter family books... Because these books are about various family members they span a large age range. These are not for everyone as they're very dramatic but I really did enjoy them. I would say they're like a (conservative Christian) book version of Parenthood or This is Us. They get very heavy and almost always make me cry. I've linked the first five-book series but the Baxters series really contains 30-ish books, some spread out through different four or five book series, some as stand-alones.

Christiansen family books... Because these books are about various family members they span a large age range. I love them. They might be my favorite series.

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley... Isadora's thirtieth birthday is the kick-off of this book. After reading an article about ways to be happy, she decides to conduct an experiment on herself. She'll try each of these things and probably not end up any happier. Right?

The Heart Between Us... The cover of this book about twin sisters made me think it was going to be all playful fluff but that is very misleading! It had a lot more depth and heaviness (and, bear with me, heart) than I would ever have expected from the cover. Also, twins, so two thirty-somethings for the price of one. Sexual assault is briefly mentioned multiple times in this book.

The Lost Story of Via Belle... This time-slip covers several ages but a main male character, Simon, is 33 at the start of the book. Simon is not telling the story from his perspective but we definitely get to know him quite well.

The Printed Letter Bookshop... This story, which takes place primarily in a bookshop, is about multiple women of different ages/ life stations. One is in her 30s so here we are. Again, the cover made this seem like a playful fluff book to me but it had a lot more substance to it than that. I prefer my books full of depth and substance so that didn't bother me in the slightest!

The Summer of Yes... This was a story about a 30-something writer who is road-tripping with a dying older woman and writing her biography. They're both learning that good things can happen if they only choose to say yes.

These Tangled Threads... The first thing I want to warn you of is that I started this book as an audio book and struggled with the multiple timelines. I had to switch to a physical version but I know some people handle audio better than I do. This book is all over the place time-wise but at some point Arthur was said to be 37 years old so here it is!

Twenty Something Else... This book was an interesting one for me. I love a fun time-bending story and this one did deliver on that front but sometimes I was very bothered by the main character's views/choices. Sutton is on her last day of age 39 on page one and then various twenty-something ages throughout the book. This one is said to be great for fans of Courtney Walsh and I think I would overall agree.

Bookish Links- October 2026

2026-10-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Do you recognize these cuties? Little Critter and Arthur, two characters my mom was constantly reading to me as a kid! (Although Arthur looked a little less, erm, cute, when we first started reading about him!)

New releases I'm excited about this month: The Dogwood Gospel // Kwan and the Armor of Light // The Resurrection of Evania James // The Sedalia Code // The Sisterhood of Unlikely Friends // The Undercover Bookshop

Favorite Native American History Month reads

I recently stumbled upon this- Baking Through the Bible at Christmas. I have zero desire to try this out myself but I know some of you are baking enthusiasts so I thought I'd share!

Bookish autumn art I love- Cozy Autumn // Autumn Lovers // Pumpkin Spice- I love this one so much, it made me cry and I put it on my Christmas wishlist 🥰

Rebecca's favorite Christian fantasy and sci-fi books

My husband and I watched Meet Me in the Margins on Pureflix this month. The book was of course better (it always is, isn't it?) but it was cute and one I'll definitely recommend to anyone who likes a clean romance movie with a Hallmark kind of feel to it.

Two ways to quickly check the content of a book... and a new-to-me website that quickly scans every review for content you may not like!

Wow, Paris libraries are so lovely!

Bible journaling for beginners

7 tips for homeschooling with littles around

This was interesting- what scientists found about audio books

11 must-read historical novels set in iconic locations

Did you check out the Christy finalists for this year? :)

Cute DIY bookmarks by Emily Lex

Would you do me a favor today? Would you kindly please share our homeschool curriculum, Teach Homeschool Finance, on your favorite social media platform? Or pin it on Pinterest? The more links it gets, the better it performs in search engines and such. I appreciate it!

This mug makes me smile

I always love seeing Amy's cookbook club posts. This one was all about pies. The next one is all about soup & bread, which you know will be my favorite!

10 griping novels and series for fans of medical dramas (that's me!)

Helping kids move from Bible storybooks to Bibles

I love this sweet Hundred Acre Woods conservatory feature in Alberta!

Non-book things I loved in September- Cooler weather! // These JJ Heller hymns // Average Joe with my oldest and House of David with my husband // Not having a browser or any distracting anything on my phone (but still maps, Libby, and Hoopla lol) thanks to this great tutorial! I did the O Launcher part as well and my husband loved the look so put it on his phone, too // this adorable wreath craft my aunt sent (still have yet to make it though) // These pumpkin cookies my daughter baked // this jacket my mom sent my toddler... such a perfect thin-but-warm-and cozy little thing!

Hymns for Little Ones- O Holy Night!

2026-09-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

We have been loving these board book hymns since my toddler was itty-bitty. There is something very sweet about an 18 month-old sitting on a blanket in the living room, flipping through a board book shouting "Ho-lee, ho-leeeeeee, ho-leeeeeeeeeee!"

We purchased those first three with our own money and then I was so excited when Harvest House offered a copy of O Holy Night in exchange for an honest review.

My review is, unsurprisingly, that we love it! I of course loved the words because the words are simply the lyrics to old favorite hymns, which I think are so important to keep alive and well, but the illustrations are also so cozy and sweet to me. We have read this one a few times now just because it was new and exciting but I really look forward to ramping it up at Christmastime.

If you are looking for a Christmassy board book, for your own little one or for gifting, I genuinely recommend this one for both fun and for easy learning of a beautiful, classic hymn!

*I received a free copy of O Holy Night from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Christian Books for 8th graders

2026-09-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

This list will grow but here it is for now!

Berinfell Prophecies (fantasy)

Do Hard Things (nonfiction)

Dominion series (Biblical fiction retelling, graphic novel, sci-fi)

The Faithful Spy (nonfiction, graphic novel)

The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted (fantasy)

It’s Not About Me, teen edition (nonfiction)

Kingdom series (fantasy)

Left Behind kids series (dystopian fiction)

Mysteries of Middlefield (Amish fiction)

The Mythmakers (nonfiction, graphic novel)

Raising Dragons series (fantasy)

Robot Wars (sci-fi)

Swipe series (dystopian fiction)

Taking Flight (nonfiction)

A Teen’s Guide to the 5 Love Languages (nonfiction)

Twice Freed (historical fiction)

Wingfeather Saga (fantasy)

Wormling series (fantasy)

August reads

2026-09-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

This was a pretty remarkable month for reading!

GROWN-UP READS:

📖 Bible study: 2 Peter // Ephesians using Worthy // Slowly studying Ezekiel with my husband.

🌟 An observation: I love taking notes and thoroughly studying but I'm realizing that it's not necessarily a good season for that. I am skipping Bible study often right now because the baby wakes up early and I can't pull out all my note stuff. I need to shift to just reading my Bible again. Better to get the Word in me than wait wait wait until I can more deeply study it.

📖 Brain Rules for Baby (secular, nonfiction, Science, health, parenting)... This is a re-read for me, one I first read and loved almost 14 years ago. I loved it again this time!
📖 The Deep End of Love (Christian, fiction)... I really enjoy Christina Suzann Nelson's Deep writing and was so excited to win this one in a Goodreads giveaway! I did enjoy it but whew, not an easy read! Unplanned teen pregnancy, grief, past abortion hurt, infertility, marriage strain, the works! I absolutely cried during this one. But also so much love, strength, tenacity, resilience, growth... I will be thinking for a long time about this one and about the hard-but-beautiful lessons it gave me.
📖 Letters From My Sister (Christian, fiction)... This was a great book that kept making me feel hopeful and then sad. I don't have any sisters but seeing my own daughters' bonds shows me I'm missing out in that area. This book did, too!
📖 One Life (secular, nonfiction, history)... This was my church book club's pick for the month after I read about Sir Nicholas Winton. It's a wonderful story but we all agreed that the backstory was a bit dry.
📖 William Henry is a Fine Name (Christian, historical fiction)... This was a good, enjoyable Underground Railroad story I added to our 9th grade shelf. I look forward to hearing what my son thinks.

I also worked through quite a few new releases and reviewed those here.

YA & MIDDLE GRADE READS

📖 The Day the Angels Fell (Christian, YA, fiction)... This one is a kind of spiritual world-themed fantasy involving the tree of life. It had more blood than I like but I put it on our 9th grade okay list.

📖 The Edge of Over There (Christian, YA, fiction)... This is the sequel to The Day the Angels Fell. Same basic review as before. Not a fan of blood, know my oldest will like it next year.

📖 Eliza's Freedom Road (secular, middle grade, historical fiction, TGTB book list)... I'm prone to loving books written as diary entries. I would have loved this Underground Railroad story as a kid!
📖 Freedom Seekers #1: Escape Into the Night (Christian, historical fiction, TGTB book list)... This is a good Underground Railroad story but those who are sensitive to eye-dialect might find it offensive.

📖 Greystone Secrets #1 The Strangers and #2 The Deceivers (secular, middle grade, fiction)... Yet another exciting Margaret Peterson Haddix story I couldn't get enough of! This one is a trilogy and I'm very excited for book 3.
📖 Growing Up With Aloha: American Girl Nanea #1 (secular, historical fiction, TGTB book list)... I enjoyed this this American Girl novel, this one a WWII home front story set in Hawaii, and I think my girls will all love it, too. (More American Girl reviews here)
📖 Hudson Taylor: Deep in the Heart of China (Christian, fictionalized biography)... This was a great biography of missionary Hudson Taylor. I particularly loved the fact that he got a horrible infection and was told he'd die but his response was that God had called him to China and he hadn't gone yet so he would not die.
📖 Riley Mae and the Rock Shocker Treks // Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids (Christian, middle grade, fiction)... This is another Faithgirlz series, this one about a seventh grader in California who becomes a shoe model/spokesperson. They're a lot more of an action-adventure story than the cover implies! I liked them and will try book 3, too. (More Faithgirlz reviews here)

📖 Stealing Home (secular, middle grade, historical fiction, graphic novel)... I really enjoyed this Japanese internment camp story and teared up at the end.

📖 Tales of Buttercup Grove* (Christian, early chapter book, fiction)... This early reader book was so cute! I loved both the sweet animal illustrations and the sweet kindness/ friendship stories. There are four seasonal stories (which reminded me of Brambly Hedge!) and they each begin with a Bible verse. I happily added this one to our second grade shelf.

📖 This Seat's Saved (Christian, middle grade, fiction)... I loved this book so much! The first chapter or two made me think this would essentially be a secular, very worldly book with a lot of negativity towards parents and the occasional prayer. NO!!! It was amazing. The character has some tension with her mother and intense middle school girl friend conflicts along with the pains that come with growing up and not quite fitting in. There is so much beautiful faith-focused reflection and growth here, and I'm so happy it's a four-book series! I immediately added book 2 to our Amazon cart. I'm very happy to have this one for our 7th grade bookshelf. I wish every Christian middle grade novel would leave me feeling the way this one did.
📖 The Ugly One (secular, middle grade, fiction, TGTB book list)... I didn't love this one but thought it was overall fine. I was not comfortable with all the negative body image talk at the start but that did die down.
📖 You Have a Brain (Christian, YA, nonfiction)... As far as I can recall, this is basically Gifted Hands but a slightly more mature version. I loved Gifted Hands and loved this one, too!

* I received a free copy of Tales of Buttercup Grove in exchange for an honest review.

📚 PICTURE BOOKS WE LOVED: Bedtime, Here I Come! (Our last Imagination Library book) // Charlie Goes to School (over and over and over again! 😊) // Loved by God (full review here)

Favorite read this month: This Seat's Saved! 🥰

Autumnal Christian fiction

2026-09-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Are you a seasonal reader? I've recently discovered that I'm really not, other than Christmas books at Christmas time, but I have been keeping seasonal lists lately anyway because I know some of you are!

26 Below (suspense)... I'm a big baby about suspense these days so this was admittedly a bit much for me (it's time for me to join the Cozy Mystery Club when I'm feeling like a mystery!) but it was good and has gotten great reviews from tougher Christian book reviewers I like :)

All That We Carried (general fiction)... This is largely a sister story, full of relationship dynamics between the two. It's set during a backpacking trip so the autumn is very atmospheric at times.

Before We Were Us (romance)... This amnesia trope love story was pretty cute. It also finally got New Hampshire accounted for in my list of books by location.

From the Start (romance)... This is the start of a family series. I decided to wait until I've finished the Christiansen family books to really dive into the Walkers but I do look forward to it.

Letters From My Sister (historical fiction)... Much of this historical Alabama story takes place in the fall.

The Perfect Rom-Com (romance)... This book really made me smile. I'm just a sucker for fun writer stories I suppose.

Pocketful of Pinecones (historical fiction, contemporary)... This diary-style novel is definitely not for everyone. This is basically a business parable kind of book, a fiction written to show homeschool moms how to execute a Charlotte Mason-style nature study. It takes place over all four seasons but it's really very atmospheric during each season since it's so nature-focused.

Christian books for 7th graders

2026-09-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

I of course recommend that you check these out yourself first :)

Alone Yet Not Alone (historical fiction)
Anxious for Nothing young readers edition (nonfiction)
Behind Enemy Lines (nonfiction)
Beyond (fiction)
Blades of Eternity series (fantasy)
Case for Christ, young readers edition (nonfiction)
Case for Heaven, young readers edition (nonfiction)
A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest (fiction)
Christian Heroes biographies (nonfiction)
Cooper Kids series (mystery)
Daughters of the Faith series (historical fiction)
Dreamkeeper Saga (fantasy)
The Edge of Everywhen (fiction, one of my very favorites!)
Evan Miller is Waking Down (dystopian fiction)
From Sadie's Sketchbook (fiction)
Gifted Hands: young readers edition (nonfiction)
Goliath Must Fall, young readers edition (nonfiction)
Good News Shoes series (fiction)
Grace Not Perfection for young readers (nonfiction)
Hunger Winter series (historical fiction)
Jack Staples series (fantasy)
Jack Zulu series (fantasy)
Keeping Holiday (fantasy)
Life Behind the Wall (historical fiction)
Lightglider Origins (fantasy)
Lightseekers series (fantasy)
The Misadventured Summer of Tumbleweed Thompson (historical fiction)
No Place Like Holmes (mystery)
Passages series (fantasy)
Rainbow Garden (fiction)
Red Rock Mysteries (mystery)
Sapphire Sword series (fantasy)
Secret at Pheasant Cottage (fiction)
Seven Sleepers series (fantasy)
So You're About to be a Teenager (nonfiction)
Sons of Angels series (fantasy)
Soul Surfer (nonfiction)
Star of Light (fiction)
The Tanglewood's Secret (fiction)
This Seat's Saved (fiction, one of my very favorites!)
Treasures of the Snow (fiction)
Vanished (mystery) (I don't recommend book 2)

Bookish links- September 2026

2026-09-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

We recently got this small (toddler-sized) display bookshelf pictured above and my baby loves it!

September new releases I'm excited about: 7 Habits of Financially Healthy Women // Every Given Day // PlantYou Quickies // Twelve Days and Twelfth Night

Good reads for Hispanic Heritage Month

Autumn picture books we have loved

What a cute idea, sitting in a bookstore painting!

Not sure how I actually feel about a rock climbing library!

Bookish art I love- Homework at the Kitchen Table // Apricity

84 morning basket ideas for grades k-6

Which fall (Christian fiction) novel matches your reading style?

This printable kids' book bingo page is so fun!

5 Must-read secret identity romances

Everyday Reading's 2026-2027 reading log is another cute one!

10 clean books for tweens

How to do a Libby Deep search // How to get more Libby options using Reciprocard

Exciting novels and series set in the west

I loved this podcast on homeschooling high schoolers and I added her book to my Amazon cart.

Non-book things I loved in August: exploring in Montana // The nectarines were true perfection this month, at least in our area // The calm before the storm... September brings more extracurricular classes and October starts pure chaos with those + rehearsals for a Christmas performance some of my kids are in this year so I was glad to savor a bit of calm together, first! // My sweet daughter made me this split-pea soup // watching some Christian productions- The Blind and Vindication

Three great new releases for kids

2026-08-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

📗 Becoming You for Boys... Books about puberty are often very frustrating for parents. I've checked so many of them! It often seems that the more modern books contain content I don't agree with but the older ones often include body image negativity, illustrations I find inappropriate, and more. Some are too vague and some give way too much information. Every parent should of course check for themselves but I was truly completely happy with this book. I also appreciate that it briefly goes over the changes that girls will experience while encouraging young men to be respectful about it all, and also goes over technology safety including never sending someone certain pictures of yourself. Finally, a quote I think parents will appreciate so they can get a feel for the worldview here: "The world says a lot of confusing things about what it means to be a boy or a girl, but God is clear and kind. You don't have to like everything people say boys should like. You don't have to love sports and be tough all the time to be a boy! But you can trust that God chose your body and who you are with love."

📕 Becoming You for Girls... I have tried several puberty books for girls and this really is my favorite! Along with an approach that repeatedly reminds a young lady that her changing body is good and God-designed, I found it to be informative and appropriate. While it's full of color illustrations, there aren't any that I find to be inappropriate in any way.

📘 God and Me... I absolutely loved this first Bible study! This is exactly what a kid needs to prepare them for a life long habit if thinking and reflecting on their Bible reading. It starts by actually explaining the Bible- how it's broken up, what are those numbers all through it (chapters + verses), and how to study the Bible. Then it's truly fun- Bright, colorful, a few games, lots of questions to make your kiddo really think about what they've read. I'm so excited to do this one with my toddler in a few years but I think my 8-year-old is going to enjoy it in the meantime.

* I received a free copy of each of these from New Growth Press in exchange for an honest review.

Bookish Montana Adventures

2026-08-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

I recently shared that my family and I got to enjoy a bookish Montana adventure around some work for our homeschool curriculum, Teach Homeschool Finance. I shared an adorable Christian bookstore in Libby, MT and today I wanted to share some photos from the rest of our adventures.

First, a (far too smoky) picnic at Little McGregor Lake.

We hit at least four different Kalispell thrift stores (plus their library's used bookshop) and found a few books from our lists...

And then turned in summer reading sheets at a Barnes & Noble! These are the prizes they picked. I'll check them and see what we think!

We also liked this cute health food store :)

Christian fiction about parenting teens

2026-08-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been enjoying stories about the season I'm sliding into, parenting teenagers. Teenagers are often portrayed in a fairly negative light but my young teen is delightful to do life with and I hope to find many more stories with a joyful parent-child teen relationship.

All She Ever Wanted (historical fiction, timeslip)... This book really touched my heart but will probably be too depressing for a lot of readers. This is about four generations of women in a family line and the pain and family dynamics that led to their paths. Our most midern-day character is raising a troubled teen, which is really what kicks off her examination of her own life and her family history.

Baxter Family books... These were very dramatic and had me very invested. The first of these books involve only the youngest Baxter child as an older teen. There's a few books only about young adults and then there are quite a few books about a family friend (Bailey Flanigan) as a teen before we start to see all the Baxter grandchildren as teenagers.

Christiansen Family books... I am still working my way through these ones and loving them. The youngest Christiansen, Amelia, is a teen at the start of the series. We don't see much of her in those books and really only see a lot of teen parenting in the Christmas novella Evergreen but I couldn't not include this series here.

Dark Justice (suspense)... in this high-speed suspense we have a woman on the Run from someone very sinister, while also trying to protect her 19-year-old daughter and her elderly mother with dementia. I read this book very quickly, sneaking in a chapter every chance I could get.

The Deep End of Love... This one is focused on a few different women but one is the mother of a pregnant teenager. This books was full of tough topics- infertility, grief, post-abortion hurt, and more- but so good. It made me tear up or cry multiple times.

Firstborn... In this one we have a woman who is raising a teenage son and then gets a shocking revelation- the young lady (whom I believe was also an older teen) she gave up for adoption as a teen would like to meet her biological mother. This is news to her husband and son so we see a lot of family dynamics worked through in this one.

Intervention (suspense)... This page-turner series was hard to put down but its focus on a teenage daughter with a drug addiction was also hard to read at times. The mother character also has a teenage son whom we see more of in the later books.

Ladies of the Lake (historical fiction, time slip)... This was such a delightful read for me! We essentially open with a teenage daughter begging her mother to come to her boarding school graduation, and mother refusing. Then, we examine her story and find out the why. I definitely see myself re-reading this one someday.

More Than We Remember... This is a story about three different women whose lives are tied together by one terrible accident. That is the primary focus here but one of them is also patenting a troubled teen while dealing with this other struggle, too. I got quite a lot out of this one.

One Perfect Day... I have to caution that few of you will be able to stomach this one. We're following two mothers- one whose teenage son just died, one whose teenage daughter was just saved by an organ transplant from that boy. I almost put this one down several times but was ultimately glad I'd finished it.

The Printed Letter Bookshop... This one, too, is from the perspective of multiple women, one of whom is the mother of a troubled teen. This one is focused on the employees of The Printed Letter Bookshop and I enjoyed it but still haven't read its sequel.

Though I Stumble... This one is about four different women at a Christian women's conference, all working through their own life circumstances and being moved by the speaking they hear at the conference. One of the women, Treva, is the mother of the 19-year-old character, Stephanie. They both have to work through Stephanie's story and this made for such a powerful read! I really loved this book but couldn't get my hands on the rest of the series at the time. Now I'm reminded that I really wanted to read the rest of it but it's been so long I'll probably need to start with this one again!

Twenty Something-Else... This story was about a woman who had a pretty negative view of her life and her children, then got a chance to re-do her twenties after a pickleball-related head injury. The mc made a lot of choices I disagreed with and I admittedly asked myself several times if I really wanted to this all play out. I again don't necessarily recommend this for everyone but I do think some of you will enjoy it.

July reads

2026-08-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

This was a great month for kid books! Adult books, not so much. I spent a lot of time on/procrastinating my book club's read this month (Life, and Death, and Giants) which I ultimately did not finish and was a bit uncomfortable with. There were mixed feelings. Two women loved it, one didn't finish it either and doesn't plan to, and two did finish it but didn't necessarily enjoy the process. I'm super excited for our next read!

GROWN-UP READS:

📖 Bible study: 2 Peter // Ephesians using Worthy // Slowly studying Ezekiel with my husband

📖 The Girl From Tomorrow's Town* (Christian, historical fiction)... I still have yet to meet a circus book I didn't enjoy. This one got a full review here.

📖 Your Life Signature* (Christian, nonfiction)... What a book! This book made me think and reflect so much, which I always love. The author uses a lot of imagery and illustration to express his points so it was really jam-packed with gold that led me down some wonderful paths, my favorite being the story of Sir Nicholas Winton in the beginning or middle of the book. I have thought a lot about my purpose for years and this book only made me that much more excited to see what else God has planned for me and my one little life.

YA & MIDDLE GRADE READS

📖 Falling Out of Time (secular, fiction)... Another Margaret Peterson Haddix- this one is a sequel to Running Out of Time I never knew existed! I enjoyed it and then my oldest did, too.

📖 Game Changers (secular, middle grade, fiction)... Truthfully, I didn't like it. I'm not into sports books. There was a bit of rudeness but not too bad and I do think kids who like sports books will probably like it.
📖 Hand Lettering God's Word for Girls* (Christian, middle grade, nonfiction)... I enjoyed this kind of art book-devotional combo and put up a full review here.

📖 Island Dreamer (Christian, YA, fiction)... This is the 5th book in the Christy Miller series and I still find them compulsively readable. I do think I would have loved it as a teenager.

📖 The Legend of Bluebell Forest (secular, middle grade, fiction, TGTB)... This was the free book from the TGTB summer reading program. I liked it and think my daughter will like it, but we'll see if she wants the second!
📖 The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli (secular, middle grade, historical fiction, time slip)... I really enjoyed this ancient China / 1930s Chinatown time slip! I can't wait for a few of my kids to read this one.
📖 Nory Ryan's Song (secular, middle grade, fiction, TGTB Book List)... This is a historical fiction about the Irish potato famine, a subject I've only encountered in fiction one other time. I found it interesting, though it wasn't a new favorite or anything, and I'll be curious to see what my oldest thinks if/when he picks it up!
📖 Raising Dragons (Christian, YA, fantasy, fiction)... I mean, fantasy is not for me so I kind of hated it but I get the appeal and can see that my oldest will love it. There was a bully teasing a girl and implying that she isn't a virgin, and later that girl implies that she was abused in a specific way by her father. Both issues are one single line and are implied, not said. I decided I'm okay with it for 8th grade but I do wish those things weren't in there.

📖 Resist (secular, middle grade, historical fiction)... This was a short but good WWII resistance story and I'll definitely try more Alan Gratz books.
📖 The Story of Simone Biles (secular, chapter book, nonfiction, TGTB book list)... I liked Simone Biles' memoir and I enjoyed this version for the younger crowd.
📖 A Summer Secret (Christian, upper middle grade / YA, Amish fiction)... This was a good 8th grader-ish story. I thought it would be more of a mystery but the mystery is solved pretty quickly and then it becomes more of a social dilemma. I liked it and will definitely try book 2.

📚 PICTURE BOOKS WE LOVED: God Bless You and Goodnight (not new, but this is the current favorite bedtime book) // The Heart Who Needed a Friend (full review here) // Play With Me (this month's Imagination Library gift) // Thank You Bear

* I received a free copy of The Girl From Tomorrow's Town, Your Life Signature, and Hand Lettering God's Word for Girls in exchange for an honest review.

6 New Releases

2026-08-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Art of the Margins (Christian, nonfiction)... This one is for you, creatives! This made me think about the creative delights God has placed in my heart and just where they fit into my God-given purpose here on Earth.

Jerusalem Calls (Christian, nonfiction)... This has been a lovely addition to my morning time stack. I expected a more dry, academic approach to the Jewish feasts but have been pleasantly surprised by the author's warm and tender recalling of her own Jewish heritage and childhood celebrations & her conversion to Christianity. This is a great resource for anyone attempting to understand more orthodox traditions.

The Jesus Centered Planner (Christian, planner)... struggle every year to find a good planner. The best I've ever found is now making only one version, one that is literally curse word themed. I'm so happy to try this alternative in 2027! The weekly spreads are column-style, my personal preference so I can lay out my daily routine in order. I also appreciate that the weekend days are the same size as week days. My Saturday is always just as busy as my Monday, but when I was working I needed those weekend slots more than I did weekday slots! I also appreciate the gratitude and reflection spots each week.

Loved by God (Christian, picture book)... I just adore this delightful picture book! It has a good, important message and so many illustrations I love. I can tell this will be a favorite in my house for years to come. It'll also make for a wonderful baby shower gift for a friend.

Man of God (Christian, nonfiction)... I am obviously not the target demographic for this book but I have a husband and a teenage son I thought might enjoy it. A favorite quote, from the introduction- "biblical manhood is not defined by culture, power, or personality. It is defined by obedience. A godly man leads not by control but by example, because he himself is being led by Christ." Along with a lot of great messages the book is also visually appealing with lovely tree art on the chapter headings.

Tales of Buttercup Grove (Christian, early reader/ chapter book, fiction)... I love this little book! This early reader book was so cute! I loved both the sweet animal illustrations and the sweet kindness/ friendship stories. There are four seasonal stories (which reminded me of Brambly Hedge!) and they each begin with a Bible verse.

* I received a free copy of each of these books in exchange for an honest review.

Good News Christian Books in Libby, Montana

2026-08-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend my family and I got to enjoy a very bookish Montana adventure! We went specifically for some work regarding our homeschool curriculum, Teach Homeschool Finance (if you live in Kalispell, check the free shelf in your mall, on the Red Lion side, for a free copy of our curriculum!), and we took that opportunity to hunt for some of the books on our lists.

Today I'll just share all the photos I took at Good News Christian Books in Libby, MT. This was a cute small-town bookstore and the owner was sweet.

Discount cart

So many cute mugs!

My personal favorite 🐝🍯 💛

Christian Fiction for Music Lovers

2026-08-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

🎶 Because You're Mine (suspense)... This is a creepy standalone about an Irish singer whose husband was just killed. It's quite clear that she's in danger and it's a great mystery to unravel. It's also set in the Carolinas which always feels so summer-y to me!
🎶 Bespoke (Christmas, historical)... This one is very short, readable in one cozy afternoon, and follows the daughter of a famous secret symphony composer. Fans of classical music will appreciate this one.
🎶 Beyond Ivy Walls (historical)... Piano fans, this Beauty and the Beast retelling set in 1903 Iowa is for you!
🎶 A Carol for Christmas (Christmas)... This one is heavily focused on a young marriage and its struggles but the young wife is a guitar player and we see that quite a lot, too.
🎶 Long Way Gone (general fiction)... This Prodigal Son retelling is going to be a bit too gritty for dome of you but it follows a young musician who leaves home to make it big. This one is filled with talk of guitar and singing.
🎶 Love and a Little White Lie (romance)... Although I'm not a romance fan I really enjoyed this one. Our female protagonist is agnostic but accepts a clerical position at her aunt's church in an attempt to start over. Then she meets the church guitarist and her aunt's landscaper. Watching her decide who she belonged with was more fun than I expected.
🎶 The Roads We Follow (romance)... Again, not typically a romance fan... but very typically a Nicole Deese fan! I loved this story of a young woman her sisters road tripping with their famous singer mother while everyone has so much going on in the background!
🎶 Roots of Wood and Stone (historical, time slip)... This one is for jazz fans which I do believe is a rarity. Our heroine is uncovering her family history and we're slipping into that past but she happens to make jazz music on the side just for fun.
🎶 The Shunning (Amish)... This Amish fiction, the first in a trilogy, is not about music (it's about a young Amish woman finding out she's adopted snd searching for her birth mother) but talks a fair bit about guitar-playing.
🎶 Wedding Dress Christmas (Christmas)... A magical wedding dress, the owner of the wedding dress shop, and a hunky country music star all come together in this Christmas story I really enjoyed. This story would work fine as a standalone but will mean more if you've read The Wedding Dress (which I also love).

Also, Jesus loves you ❤️

2026-2027 Curriculum Choices!

2026-08-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's almost time to start a new school year and we are so excited! These are the things we'll be using this year.

*I make my own language arts courses after reading The Brave Learner and Wild + Free. Some (but not all) resources I like to utilize: a journal for each kid to write in on Mondays (typically about their weekends, interesting prompts when the weekend wasn't very write-able), spelling, TGTB Simply Spelling and online language arts, English Grammar Workbook, Evan Mor Writing books, Greek & Latin Roots, buddy reads, read-alouds, and independent reading, various writing projects of my choosing

*All four big kids participate in a local extracurricular activity as well.

* Morning Basket goodies: Vocabulary cards // Soaring Through the Bible // 4 Essential Keys to Effective Communication // Keep Thy Heart Bible study

* My husband also does computer and shop classes with the kids and I do cooking lessons with them.

8th grade: Math // Homemade language arts // Chemistry + my own expansions // Health + nutrition review // History // Homemade Geography // Spanish + Butterfly Spanish // Teach Homeschool Finance // Drawing 1 // Music Appreciation 2 // Guitar

6th grade: Handwriting // Math // Homemade language arts // Chemistry + my own expansions // Health + nutrition review // History // Homemade Geography // Spanish + Butterfly Spanish // Drawing 1 // Music Appreciation 2 // Nature notebook // Creative Writing // Typing 2 // YouTube paint tutorials

5th grade: Handwriting // Math // Homemade language arts // Biology // Health + nutrition review // History // Homemade Geography // Spanish + Butterfly Spanish // Drawing 1 // Music Appreciation 2 // Creative Writing // Typing 2 // YouTube paint tutorials

3rd grade: Handwriting // Math // Homemade language arts // Biology // Health + nutrition review // History // Homemade Geography // Spanish + Butterfly Spanish // Music Appreciation 1 // Creative Writing // Typing 1 // A Hive of Busy Bees

It's inevitable that I find new material and read-aloud as the year goes on but this is the general idea!

Bookish links- August 2026

2026-08-01T05:00:00.001-08:00

August New releases I'm excited about: The Heiress and the Woodsman

Summer reading recommendations for your kids

Ideas for homeschooling through chronic illness

I got some great recommendations for my son on this Reddit list of Christian fiction recommendations for men

I've got a still-growing men's fiction list of my own, too!

Please consider sharing our homeschool finance curriculum with any homeschool parents you know! The intro course, which we believe will make a huge difference for many young adults, is completely free! You can share it with non-homeschool families with teens, too 💙

Art lovers, this site pairs art with scripture to help bring your reading to life visually! Pretty cool!

One of the ladies in my bookclub sent us this no-spice romance book database reel for all you romance fans!

The best Christian books for mums

Books build what screens can not: Benefits of reading aloud to kids even after they can read

This is fascinating- writing out the Bible by hand!

3 gripping historical spy novels to keep you guessing

These fast forwarded kind of paintings always make it look so quick and easy!

Bookish art I love- Storybook // Meadow // Seaside // Soft Hour // Under the Apricot Tree // Summer in the Forest // Picnic

We watched the new Little House on the Prairie as a family last month and all loved it! We're happy it's already been renewed for season 2!

Emily Lex recommends this free class on Ephesians

We use a different handwriting curriculum but how fun are these literature-themed handwriting books?

This was a fun list of books by and about homeschoolers!

I know I'm late to the party but we finally watched David as our family movie last night and it was so good!

Non-book things I loved in July: 4th of July shenanigans // Sheet pan gnocchi (we used crumbled pumfu as the sausage... I paired it with mushrooms and steamed cashew cream kale. Everyone loved it, but two daughters asked for smaller veggies next time) // Vacation Bible School excitement // giggles and shrieks of delight from running through the sprinklers and playing at the water table in the yard // air conditioning// learning about the Story of Nicholas Winton rescuing over 660 children in the Holocaust and telling no one. When his wife found the scrapbook, this happened 💙

4 New Releases

2026-07-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Blades of Eternity #2: The Curse of the Black Saber* (Christian, middle grade, fantasy, fiction)... This second book was just as engaging as the first. I'm truly not a fantasy fan I'm the slightest but most of my children are so here I am! There is some really great imagery on this one but of course parents should be aware of standard fantasy battles (good vs evil) as with most fantasy. I like this series more for the upper middle grade-middle school group. This series is a new smash hit for my oldest and we'll eagerly await book 3.

The Heart Who Needed a Friend* (Christian, fiction, picture book)... This was a cute little wintertime picture book focused on friendship from a Biblical perspective. I thought it was sweet and I know it'll be a fun read for a lot of families!

Worthy* (Christian, nonfiction, Bible study material)... This is a Bible study commentary on Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. It's exactly what I want in a Bible study! I want to understand the Bible, not just hear about how this relates to your sister's husband's cousin. Right at the beginning of each section is a Bible Background Check to help me understand genre, key verses, author, audience, historical context, and cross-referencing. I have been loving this and will absolutely be saving it forever for my family and I to reference down the road.

Your Life Signature* (Christian, nonfiction)... What a book! This book made me think and reflect so much, which I always love. The author uses a lot of imagery and illustration to express his points so it was really jam-packed with gold that led me down some wonderful paths, my favorite being the story of Sir Nicholas Winton in the beginning or middle of the book. I have thought a lot about my purpose for years and this book only made me that much more excited to see what else God has planned for me and my one little life.

* I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Christian Books for 6th Graders

2026-07-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

100 Days of Adventure (nonfiction)
The Aedyn Chronicles (fiction, fantasy)
Andi Unexpected (fiction, mystery)
Arcade series (fiction)

Beyond the Orphan Train series (historical fiction)
The Chronicles of Narnia (fiction, fantasy)
Dream Traveler's Quest series (fiction, fantasy)
Emma's Secret (historical fiction)
A Girl After God's Own Heart (nonfiction)
Girls of Harbor View: Girl Power // Mystery Bus (fiction)
Heaven for Kids (nonfiction)
Indescribable Atlas Adventures (nonfiction)
The Inkwell Chronicles (fiction, fantasy)
Jones and Parker Case Files (fiction)
The Key House (fiction)
Marvel at the Moon (nonfiction)
No Place Like Holmes (fiction, mystery)
Princess in Camo series (fiction)
The Promise and the Light (Biblical fiction)
The Restorationists series (fiction, fantasy)
Road Trip Rescue series (fiction)
Rosa Takes a Chance (historical fiction)
Sleuth Family Robinson (fiction, graphic novel)
The Songs of a Warrior (Biblical fiction)
The Sower's Secret (fiction)
Sugar Creek Gang series (fiction)

They Found Dragons series (fiction, fantasy, sci-fi)

Viking Quest series (historical fiction)

Christian Fiction Retellings, Revisitings, and Nods

2026-07-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Beyond Ivy Walls (historical fiction)... This Beauty and the Beast retelling is set in 1903 Iowa. I generally like this author and I liked this book pretty well though its not what I generally gravitate towards.

Dear Mr Knightley (Contemporary, epistolary)... This was such a cute book and it's a retelling of a classic I still have yet to read (but do intend to!), Daddy Long Legs.

Dust (YA, Contemporary, fantasy)... I wasn't sure I should include this as a YA but some of you won't mind. This is a Peter Pan/Nederland revisiting. It's an adventure but as far as I recall it was very light if not fully lacking on the Christian content.

Eli (Contemporary)... The premise of the one really fascinated me- what if Jesus hadn't come back until modern times? It's borderline historical now, since it was published in 2000.

A Game Most Foul (YA, mystery)... Sherlock Holmes fans, this one is for you! In this contemporary YA mystery, Sherlock and Watson happen to still be alive and solving mysteries today.

In Search of a Prince (Contemporary)... This one is for fans of The Princess Diaries- remember that one? We have a young woman casually living her typical American life and then, bam, she's hit with the news that she's actually an African princess and needs to go take over the throne, like, now. Oh, and she needs to marry. 😉

Ladies of the Lake (historical fiction, time slip)... I really loved this book and it was such a delightful nod to Anne of Green Gables. Our main character lives a similar orphan life and identifies a lot with Anne... but she also strikes up a pen pal friendship / mentorship either the Anne author LM Montgomery!
* If you're an Anne fan, I also recommend the clean secular fiction Marilla of Green Gables.

Laura's Shadow (historical fiction, time slip)... This time slip is partially about Cap Garland and another girl in his time period, partially about a writer of a Laura Ingalls Wilder comic strip and her family history/secrets, some regarding Laura herself. Little House fans will likely enjoy this one.

Long Way Gone... (Contemporary) This one was a gritty, modern day retelling of The Prodigal Son. I'm a bit sensitive and struggled through a few parts of this one but boy, does this author know what he's doing!

Once Upon a Dickens Christmas (historical)... I'm sure you can guess from the title but this collection has three Christmas novellas all about Charles Dickens and his works. My mom and I read all three as Christmas buddy reads and we both enjoyed all of them.

Once Upon a Wardrobe (historical)... This one is for my Narnia fans! A college student befriends professor CS Lewis and learns more about the Narnia world he's created.

Tacos for Two (Contemporary)... This one is a more modern nod to You've Got Mail and I really enjoyed it! We are working with taco trucks instead of bookstores and an anonymous dating app instead of AOL emails. Fun, for sure.

To Love a Beast (historical)... Another Beauty and the Beast retelling- this one was set in late-1800s Texas. I enjoyed this one in preparation for a Texas trip last September and thought it was cute. The author has a whole slew of Texas-set fairy-tale retellings if that sounds fun to you.

To Love a Lady (historical)... I really loved My Fair Lady in middle school and high school so I enjoyed this My Fair Lady retelling. My mom and I buddy read this one, too, and she was also happy with it.

Under the Texas Mistletoe (historical)... Okay, this was a Mom buddy read, too. We liked all of the Christmas stories in this collection but it's on the list specifically for A Texas Christmas Carol, which is of course a Texas-set retelling of A Christmas Carol.

I'll also tell you about YA author Melanie Dickerson who has many fairytale retellings. I tried two and didn't love them but they were both buddy reads with my cousin who devoured them and then read all the others in the series and I only ever hear great things so they're still worth a try if you love fairytale retellings.

Happy reading! And friendly reminder that Jesus knows every tiny thing you've ever been ashamed of but thinks you're precious anyway and can't wait to hug you and say "Well done." 💙

June reads

2026-07-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

GROWN-UP READS:

📖 Bible study: I did a lot of floundering again this month. We've made some changes with my baby's sleep routines and I let my morning time be the casualty. Better in July!

📖 Hidden Mysteries and the Bible (Christian, nonfiction)... This was my morning read for quite a while and I've been talking about it so much over the last two months. There were parts I didn't enjoy reading about and/or didn't agree with based on other teachings, parts that made me squirm, and parts I thought were so cool/exciting in my nerdy way. It was free on Kindle, at least at the time I got it. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you ever try it!

📖 Love Like a Mother (Christian, nonfiction)... I posted a full review of this one here.

📖 To Love a Lady (Christian, historical fiction)... My Fair Lady (based on Pygmalion) was one of my favorite movies in middle and high school so my mom and I recently read this together as a buddy read. We both thought it was fun.

📖 Twenty Something-Else (Christian, fiction)... I was so excited about the Itsa Wonderful Life-esque premise of this one and listened to the audio version of this one. It took me a while to finish because I didn't feel comfortable listening to it when my children might walk up and overhear. I overall liked it but was definitely very bothered by relationship choices Sutton made in her do-over timeline.

📖 The Wonder Weeks (secular, nonfiction, parenting)... Finished it! I'm forever grateful for this book, goodness. I am pretty sure I've now read it with every baby? Most, if not all! Insanely helpful.

YA & MIDDLE GRADE READS

📖 Andi Saddles Up (Christian, chapter book, fiction)... This was a cute one I added to our 3rd grade shelf.
📖 The Birthday Castle- Fort Builders Inc #1 (secular, chapter book, fiction, TGTB book list)... This was cute. I'll try book 2 if my 2nd grader likes this one.
📖 Blades of Eternity and the Keeper of Peace (Christian, upper middle grade, fantasy, fiction)... I'm not a fantasy fan but I liked this author's mission and could tell this was well-written and would be a hot with my 7th grader. I was right. FYI, there's a lot of rudeness depicted.
📖 Donavan's Word Jar (secular, chapter book, fiction, TGTB Book list)... This was sweet. I don't think any of my kids would have been interested to pick it out on their own so I'm glad we learned about it from TGTB's book list.
📖 Dragon Seed (Christian, YA, fiction)... I saw this on a list of great Christian books for teen boys. I would agree. I put it in our 9th grade shelf.
📖 Far Side of the Sea (Christian, late middle grade/early YA, historical fiction)... This was a quick skim read I got for free because of the TGTB summer reading program but I was impressed! I will be curious to see if my oldest requests the next books in the series or not.
📖 Freaking Out: The Science of the Teenage Brain (secular,YA, nonfiction, Science/health)... This was a very short but fun snd informative read, perfect for about 7th grade.
📖 Guns for General Washington (secular, YA, historical fiction, TGTB book list)... My 7th grader and I both liked this Revolutionary War story a lot more than we expected to.
📖 Lightseekers #1: A Kingdom of Shadows (Christian, middle grade, fiction, fantasy)... Fantasy is never my favorite but I do think this will be a hit for my oldest. It was engaging and I read the first 3/4 but skimmed the end. I imagine we'll be excited for book 2.
📖 Lisa of Willesden Lane (secular, middle grade, historical fiction, TGTB book list)... I always love a good WWII story, particularly one that feels hopeful. One of my kids is very excited for this book.
📖 S.A.V.E. Squad #1: Dog Daze (Christian, middle grade, fiction)... This was cute for my dog-lovers but I'm not interested in book 2 unless they are. Quite a lot of "stupid" If that's a no for you.
📖 The School For Whatnots (secular, middle grade, fiction)... I loved this story! Margaret Peterson Haddix is becoming a secular favorite for me.
📖 Secrets in the Mist (Christian, YA, Speculative fiction)... This is zombie fiction and there is definitely violence against zombies. I don't know how I feel about it, honestly. It was well-done but not for me, I guess. That probably sums it up well enough.
📖 Shades of Truth: From Sadie's Sketchbook #1 (Christian, middle grade, fiction)... I like this first book if another Faithgirlz series and will try book 2 soon!

Favorite read this month: To Love a Lady, I think? But The School For Whatnots was good, too.

* I received a free copy of Love Like a Mother in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl From Tomorrow's Town

2026-07-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

One of the topics I love reading about is circus fiction. I don't know why I love this subject so much, I just do! I was very excited when I saw that Barbour was releasing a new circus fiction, The Girl From Tomorrow's Town, and quickly reached out to see if I could review a copy.

Don't be fooled by this book's placement in a series as its the kind of episodic series where each book is about different characters, in a different setting, and by different authors.

This one is set in 1918 (a time period I've been gravitating towards a lot this year) Indiana, though it starts in Wyoming, and it follows a 19 year-old young woman searching for her birth mother + a male protagonist who has very impaired vision. He's a roustabout for a circus and helps her get a job as a circus seamstress so she can travel on the circus train and search for her mother as she goes.

As I expected, I definitely liked this book and enjoyed seeing it all unfold. It was very easy to root for Lily and Francis, two generally nice characters, and want to see their stories end well. This was my first read by this author and I'll likely read others by her, too.

*I received a free copy of The Girl From Tomorrow's Town from Barbour exchange for an honest review.

Hand Lettering God's Word for Girls

2026-07-07T11:55:01.387-08:00

I was so excited to be offered a wonderful devotional resource for tween girls, Hand Lettering God's Word for Girls.

Not only does this book teach basic cursive and hand lettering skills (and provide supply recommendations), it also includes devotionals perfect for a young girl.

I appreciate that this melds creative expression with treasuring the word and I am excited to see all the lovely new scripture art my loves create! I do believe scripture memorization to be powerful and important, and I also find a lot of value in displaying scripture in my home. This will be a wonderful resource for both!

* I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review