October 2025

I am what one might call a mood reader, so I always have a rotation of books going. My reading inclination also fluctuates wildly between devouring multiple books over a weekend, barely getting through a paragraph in a week, and everything in between. So yes, I am currently reading several different books, because I never read one book at a time. I go where my spirit takes me, in keeping with whatever time my life allows. Some of these books will take me hours, some days, some weeks, and some months. Some are audiobooks, some are eBooks, some are physical books. My favorite reading method is immersive, when I have the time and attention to dedicate to listening to the audiobook while reading the physical or eBook edition. Overall, my reading life has only as much structure as is absolutely necessary, which keeps it fun and pressure free.

Currently Reading

Library Book Club: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain *This is the first book we chose for our newly formed book club at my local library. We are reading it in October as a precursor to reading the 2024 book James by Percival Everett in November.

Adult Family Book Club: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Just Because Books:

  • The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

  • The Little Liar by Mitch Albom

  • The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Books I’m Reading With My Kids:

  • The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black

  • Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Non-Fiction:

  • ESV and/or NIV Bible (A Daily Read)

  • Remember Your Joy: A Bible Study of Salvation Stories in the Old Testament by Courtney Doctor and Melissa B. Kruger

  • Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks: A Workbook for Managing Depression and Anxiety by Seth J. Gillihan

Recently Read

Adult Family Book Club: Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

  • This was actually my pick for our family book club. The premise seemed interesting and the book had even won some praise and awards. However, it fell sort of flat for me, and most of the group. It was just sort of slow-paced and didn’t capture my attention.

Just Because Books:

  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

    • Read this with my daughter and she loved it. Watching her fall in love with this book, as I did when I was a little girl, was absolutely magical.

  • Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case by Agatha Christie

    • I have read and reread every Poirot mystery by Agatha Christie. However, for years I purposely put off reading this one, as I knew it was “the end” and I was not ready to say goodbye. When I finally read it, I cried. It was beautifully written. A masterful and bittersweet sendoff to the dear and deserving Mr. Hercule Poirot. A perfect “last” book in a series, if you ask me.

  • The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden

    • An immersive thriller with a twist I did not see coming! This was my first book by this author and, when I take up the notion to read something a bit more sinister again, I will likely peruse more of her work.

Books I Read With My Kids:

  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

    • I read this with my daughter and she loved it. Watching her fall in love with this book, as I did when I was a little girl, was absolutely magical.

Non-Fiction:

  • If God is Good by Randy Alcorn

    • I have read this twice now and I found it very interesting, well-researched, and helpful.

  • Why I Believe by Dr. Henry Cloud

    • Dr. Henry Cloud is a brilliant man of science and faith. This book was particularly insightful and inspiring to me.

  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

    • I recently revisited this book, which I read several years ago. It was definitely a valuable refresh to read it again.

“You and I, Hastings, are going hunting once again.”
— Agatha Christie, Curtain