Middle Grade March is one of my favorite readathons of the year! Read a middle grade book and you have participated! They also have a group read and some different prompts if you want to do more with it. You can find the announcement video here.
Today I wanted to share my TBR for the readathon:
Group Read
The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day
This is the group read for Middle Grade March and it sounds really fun! It’s a narrative nonfiction about when the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1789. I’ve heard that it reads like fiction and is great as a pre-Paris read (we don’t have current plans to travel there, but I would love to go someday).
A Book with aOne Word Title
Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan
I’ve heard a lot of good about this contemporary middle grade read. The main character Julia is short for her age, but spends the summer performing in The Wizard of Oz. As she does, she makes friends and has experiences that change the way she sees herself.
A Book with anAnimal on the Cover
Crossing the Pressure Line by Laura Anne Bird
This is a middle grade book about grief and dealing with the death of a loved one. I’ve heard so many good things about this coming-of-age story and am excited to feel all the feelings with it.
A Refugee Story
The Scourge by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Jennifer A. Neilsen has recently become one of my favorite authors! This is one of her earlier novels and I’m excited to go back and read some of her books that came out before I found her.
This middle grade fantasy follows a young girl who contracts a plague and is sent to a former prison turned refuge. She expects to live out a short, painful life due to the plague, but she quickly learns there is more to the plague and the society she lives in than meets the eye.
A Debut Novel
The Swifts by Beth Lincoln
The Swifts is a book I’ve had on my TBR for a long time. I’ve heard it’s quirky and clever and just plain fun. I also love middle grade murder mysteries, so this is right up my alley!
Book You Missed Out On
City Spies by James Ponti
I kept meaning to read this book last year–I even checked it out from the library once, but life got away from me and I had to return it unread. I’ve heard so many fun things about this, though, and I love the idea of a middle grade spy book! It sounds like it has heist-like elements as well, which would be amazing!
I am very excited for middle grade march! I love to stack up my month with lots of middle grade reads in addition to the prompt reads. I’d love to hear what you are planning to read next month! Let me know in the comments below!
I have been having a fun reading year so far! I’ve read much more than I planned to and enjoyed so many of those reads.
Today I am sharing my top-rated reads from last month.
Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce
This historical fiction–taking place in London during WWII–was on my 2023 TBR list and I am so glad I read it! I loved the characters, the themes, and the friendships! The plot felt very believable and pulled on my heartstrings.
If you enjoy character based historical fiction, I highly recommend trying this one.
Surprised by Joy by CS Lewis
I’ve slowly been reading through all of CS Lewis’s books and had this ebook on my Kindle. It’s a memoir-type book, where CS Lewis talks through his journey away from Christianity and back again.
I loved all the anecdotes he shared and found his journey fascinating. If you are a fan of CS Lewis, this is a must read!
Mrs. McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie
I’ve also been reading through all of Agatha Christie’s books; I read at least one book by her each month and this month’s read was a definite 5 star. It is a Poirot that takes place in a small village and I loved it. I always feel so immersed in the setting and characters of Christie’s book. This mystery was also a fun one and I did not guess the ending.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson
This was Sanderson’s third secret project and just as good as the first two. Based on Japanese manga, we follow two characters from two different worlds–the land of spirits and mediation and the land of nightmares. Their lives become intertwined in a strange and magical way, and they must learn to work together to move forward.
I loved the romance, the world building, the characters, and the plot twist at the end (which I thought I knew what was going to happen but then I totally didn’t)! If you enjoy fantasy romance, this is a must read!
Castle of Cards and Shadows by Misty Malkasian
This was actually a book I got to beta read for and it released just a few days ago. It is a retelling of the Pied Piper, with a strong main character and a slow burn romance. It has elements of the Selection and some science experiment scenes, as well as an amazing twist near the end. This is a great book for fans of fantasy retellings!
For Love of Ivy by Susan Evans McCloud
This was my main reread for the month and I absolutely loved revisiting it. It is an historical fiction following the couple who first settled Payson, Utah. I love our main character, Ivy. She is so relatable, and I love her courage as she struggles with the trials she faced while settling new land with her husband. It’s a beautiful story that leaves you wanting to be better.
The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull
This was another reread for me. I read it as a young teenager, when it first came out. With two sequels now, I decided it was time to revisit it and started listening to it with my kids.
My kids (8, 7, and 5) all loved it. They now make magic candy out of paper to play with, a sure sign of how much they enjoyed it. I also really loved it this time around. It’s really fun to read about magic candy and I had forgotten the clever plot twist at the end.
The Prince in Pink by Shannon Hale
This series is a family favorite and we loved this latest book! I was a little worried that it might feel like it was pushing an agenda, but it didn’t feel that way at all to me. I loved the way this fit so well with the original Princess in Black book.
It’s fun to see this series continuing and to enjoy each new book as much as the previous.
Sammy Keyes and the Cold Hard Cash by Wendelin Van Draanen
This is the twelfth of eighteen books in the Sammy Keyes series. Sammy is a young girl who accidentally starts solving crimes as she maneuvers through regular family and friend ups and downs. Even though I am getting far into the series, I am not at all tired of Sammy! I am so glad the series is so long!
I had a lot of great reads in July! What were some of your favorite reads last month? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
When I became a mom, I knew that I wanted to share my love of reading with my kids. I started off reading a lot to my firstborn and after having my second, I read the Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. That book only grew my passion of reading aloud.
Sometimes, there are books my kids love that I have a harder time reading aloud and other times, I find a book that is an absolute joy no matter how many times my kids ask me to read it to them. Today I am sharing some of my FAVORITE books to read aloud with my kids.
Milk and Cookies by Frank Asch
We have enjoyed every book by Frank Asch that we’ve read. This is one of my personal favorites. Baby Bear is sleeping at his grandparent’s house and gets scared that the furnace is a dragon, so he has a bad dream. Then his parents help him through it.
The story is a fun one and the illustrations have little things the kids can find (like when the dragon eats the flowers in the vase).
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont
This is a brightly illustrated book with a cute little story and I love reading it out loud. The little boy in it loves to paint the walls, so his mom puts away the paint. When his mom is gone, the boy gets out the paint and paints himself, all while saying he won’t paint anymore.
As the boy paints his body, there’s a chance for the kids to figure out the rhyme (ie harm and arm).The words have a sing-song feel to them, which makes it fun to read over and over again.
*There is one rhyme at the end that is going to be “butt”, but the mom walks in and says, “What?” instead.
The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
This was a book I discovered because of a library story time. The fish has a mouth that pouts, so he says that he is a pout-pout fish and there’s nothing he can do about it. Until, that is, another fish comes and plants a kiss on him. Then he realizes that he is a kiss-kiss fish instead.
My kids love the end, when he smooches the other fish. The book has rhyming and repetitive verses, similar to a song with a chorus. The rhymes of the book flow well and the chorus of the book is fun to read, which makes the book a fun to read again and again.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
We watched the movie of this first (it’s about 30 minutes) and really liked it. When I found out that it was based on a book, we got it immediately and were not disappointed.
The witch keeps dropping something and each time she lands to find it, she lets a knew friend onto her broom until it breaks in half. As her broom breaks, a dragon comes to eat her up and she’s glad for the friends she made before. The story is fun and the rhymes flow, which make it really fun to read out loud.
Gideon by Olivier Dunrea
I am a big fan of all of Olivier Dunrea’s books, but this is one of my favorites. Gideon is playing and his mother keeps calling that it’s his naptime, but he doesn’t want to stop playing to nap.
I love doing the voices of his mother and Gideon as he responds, which make it fun to read. I also love the ending, of Gideon not answering his mom because he finally fell asleep.
Kiss Goodnight by Amy Hest
Kiss Goodnight is a sweet story about a bear mom doing the bedtime routine, but it can’t be finished until the kiss good night.
I love the story, but what I love most about the book is the prose–the words are not poetry but they read like poetry. It is fun to read, in a different way than some of the other books I’ve mentioned.
You are (Not) Small by Anna Kang
This is a fun story that my kids can quote from how many times we’ve read it together. A small creature insists he’s not small, but the other creature is big. The other creature insists he isn’t bit, but the first creature is small. They argue this way until an even smaller creature and even bigger creature show up.
The book makes me laugh when I read it and it doesn’t have a lot of words, which is always nice when you are reading a book over and over again.
The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat by Kalin Nurit
This is a super fun children’s book about a cat who sits on a rat’s mat. The rat tries to get the cat to move, until a little plot twist at the end.
I may be a little biased with this book, because it is one I remember from my childhood, so I have nostalgia around it. I love the clever story and the rhymes, and how much my own kids love it.
The Big Wide Mouthed Frog by Anna Martin Larranaga
This is a fun story about a frog who goes around asking who everyone is, introducing himself as a big wide-mouthed frog. That is, until he meets a crocodile who eats wide-mouthed frogs.
One of the fun parts of reading this book is all coming up with different voices for all the animals throughout the story. It also repeats often in a way that makes it fun to read over and over again.
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester
My oldest picked this book out at the library when she was three and it’s been one of my favorites ever since. It is a story about a penguin who is different from his penguin friends. This comes in handy though, when some hunters come looking for penguins and Tacky is able to chase them away.
I love reading this book aloud. Tacky sings silly songs and talks in fun ways, the hunters have a chant that is fun to say, and though they don’t rhyme or anything, the words flow really well.
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
This is an interactive book and my kids absolutely love it, no matter how many times we read it. The book instructs the child to do something (like tap the tree) and then turn the page to see what their actions caused to happen.
It’s delightful to see how excited the kids get as they work their way through the book. It also only has a few words on each page, which is always a bonus when your kids want you to read a book over and over again.
The Book with No Pictures by BJ Novak
This book is hilarious. Even as an adult, I find it so funny, and my kids die laughing every single time they read it. It does have a little bit of humor that some parents might not like (for example, it says “boo boo butt” in it).
Like some of the previous books mentioned, this one doesn’t have a lot of words on each page and it’s easy to get into the book because of how ridiculous it is. That really just makes it a fun experience for the parent, even when it’s the 100th time you’re reading it.
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
If you are looking for a book with very few words, this is a great one! It really only has a three or four words on each page. The book uses those words and the illustrations to express an engaging and clever story. My kids and I both love watching the story unfold each time we read it together and I appreciate that we can get such a fun story without me having to read a lot of words!
Rattletrap Car by Phyllis Root
This is another fun, sing-songy book. It repeats and builds on itself and the story is silly in the best way. It’s a hot day, so the kids and dad want to go to the beach, but their car is falling apart. They use what they can to fix up the car and there’s even a little twist at the end. The story is fun and the way the words flow makes the book a fun one for me to revisit over and over again.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Would this list be complete without this book? This is one of my favorites to read over and over. I love the poetic way the words flow and I also love doing voices for both Max and the Wild Things.
I will say that this book showed me how different people can love reading different things out loud. While it’s one of my favorites, my husband loathes reading this one out loud. He’d rather read the Disney movie books (that have a million words telling the story of the movie but in book format) than this book, while I avoid those books like the plague.
What are some of your favorite picture books to read aloud over and over? I am always looking for new books to share with my kids and would love to hear from you in the comments below!
It has been a really good reading year for me so far. I’ve not only been able to read a lot of books, but I’ve also enjoyed so many of them!
Today I am sharing my favorite book each month and I would love to hear some of your favorite reads so far from 2023!
Tress of the Emerald Sea
Because I knew this book was a different style than Brandon Sanderson’s other books (and whimsy is not always my favorite style), I was little wary that I wouldn’t like this one as much. I’m happy to report that after reading it, this is now one my favorite novels by Brandon Sanderson!
I love Tress so much. She is such a fantastic character with such great growth. I love the crew she gets to know and the love story in it. I also really loved the ending, it blew my mind and wrapped everything up exactly right. I know some people don’t love Sanderson’s humor (I’ve seen people complain about it in Stormlight as well), but I actually love it. The humor in this book was sometimes juvenile (because of Hoid and how he was in this book), but that didn’t bother me and I did laugh a lot.
The Downstairs Girl
This is an historical fiction following 17-year-old Jo Kuan who works as a lady maid while secretly writing an advice column to a local newspaper.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! I loved the themes, the characters, the Miss Sweetie plotline, the romance, and strong ending.
What Alice Forgot
This is a Chick Lit with a thriller feel. It’s main plot revolves around an unreliable narrator who has amnesia, and I thought it was so well done.
I was one hundred percent committed to Alice’s life and marriage. I loved seeing how losing her memory helped her reconnect with her separated husband and struggling oldest daughter. I loved the side plots of her sister’s infertility and her adopted grandma’s romance. I was very worried that I would hate the ending, but I actually loved it.
The False Prince
I had previously read some of Jennifer A Nielsen’s historical fiction and loved it all. As a fantasy book, this was very different but just as good.
The book was fun from start to finish. It felt a little like Anastasia meets the Selection, but with boys, and it was such a fun ride. The plot twist at the end was a little obvious to me, but that did not lessen my enjoyment at all.
The Unknown Beloved
This is one of my favorites by Amy Harmon so far! The time period was very well done, the mystery/thriller aspect kept me hooked, and I loved the romance. I also really loved the aunts and how well their personalities came through. My favorite part was that it felt like a cleaner thriller (while it has some violence and language and a fade-to-black scene, it has very little language and sexual content than most thrillers I try).
There is some description of how “the Butcher” cut up his victims (it is based on a real serial killer). I am a wimp and cannot handle gore usually, but this didn’t bother me at all.
I would highly recommend to anyone who loves historical thrillers, especially with some romance thrown in.
The Screaming Staircase
I watched the adaptation on Netflix, loved it, and then when I found out it was a book, I immediately put it on hold at the library. I liked the adaptation more overall, but the book was very well done and, in some places, better than the show. I am glad I read it and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I am a little wimpy, so I appreciated that it was never too scary or grotesque for me while also having a spooky atmosphere and tension. The show felt a lot scarier to me. It’s also very clean (no sex, scant swearing, not a lot of violence considering its kids fighting ghosts), which is something I appreciate.
It was fun to see the differences from the show, but it is very similar plot-wise, so if you have watched the adaptation, there won’t be a lot of surprises for you
I have loved the books I’ve read so far this year and can’t wait to read more in the remaining months!
What have been some of your favorite books so far this year? Let me know in the comments below!
I always love looking back at the year to see how my reading went! This year was my biggest reading year I’ve ever had (and probably will have for awhile at least). I read 285 books, so narrowing down 10 favorites was not easy!
Each month as I read, I pick my top three favorite books from that month. Then at the end of the year, I use ten different categories to help me narrow down which of those 36 books were my top ten favorite of the year.
Here are my top 10 favorite books I read in 2023!
Favorite New Release
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Katherine Center has recently become a favorite author of mine (who writes clean adult romcoms), so when I saw she had a new release, I had to get it! I ended up binge listening to it in one sitting while I painted my girls’ room and loved it! It might be my new favorite book by her.
The premise follows a portrait artist who has a brain surgery that leads to a face blindness. While she’s dealing with that and her family, she also ends up in a sort of love triangle. It was a delightful read and I also really loved the author’s note at the end.
Favorite Book That Surprised Me
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
This YA fantasy romance took me by surprise in a couple different ways. First, I’d read the Elements of Cadence duology by this author and liked them, but they weren’t completely my type of books. This book had a very different feel than her previous series and it was much more my style. It was a pleasant surprise! Partially because of that, I was also very surprised by how much I loved the book!
My favorite parts of this book were the “You’ve Got Mail” feel of the plot. I absolutely loved the letter sending part of the plot. I also really loved the war correspondance aspect of the story. It actually surprised me how much I liked it!
Favorite Nonfiction Book
Divine Signatures by Gerald Lund
Gerald Lund is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and has written many books in that realm, both fictional novels and doctrinal books. Some of his doctrinal books have been my favorite religious books (and some of have just been okay). This one is my favorite of his nonfiction books now.
It is a collection of stories showing the hand of God in people’s lives. It is an inspiring read that strengthened my testimony of God and left me looking for God’s hand in my own life more often.
Favorite Spontaneous Read
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarity
I read Big Little Lies by this author in 2023 and loved it. I’ve been reading more books by her since then but wasn’t planning on reading this one this year. On a whim, I decided to get the audiobook for it and devoured it.
Like Big Little Lies, this one is a thriller that bounces between a present-day event and the time period leading up to that event. One of the things I think Moriarty does very well is giving the reader just enough information to make us want to know more. I love the pacing of her books and the way I discover more and more information as I read. It was a fun read and I’m glad I decided to pick up spontaneously.
Favorite Christie Read
The Regatta Mystery by Agatha Christie
I read at least one Christie book a month, which is why she has her own category. It’s honestly one of the hardest categories to narrow down because I love so many of her books.
I decided on this short story collection this year because I loved every story in the collection. It was fun to read a variety of her characters as well. I tend to love her short stories and this collection was so enjoyable.
Favorite Book by a Favorite Author
The Secret Projects by Brandon Sanderson
Okay, so I’m cheating a little and throwing four books in here, instead of one. But, I can’t help it. I wanted to pick a secret project for this one because I enjoyed them so much. When it came down to it, though, I couldn’t pick just one. They were all so fun to read, but great in their own unique ways.
In Tress of the Emerald Sea, I loved the main character, the romance, and the overall feel of the book. In the Frugal Wizard’s Handbook, I loved the mystery of the main character figuring out who he is, the world building, and the humor. In Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, I loved the Cosmere tie-ins, the romance (though in a totally different way than Tress), and the resolution at the end. In the Sunlit Man, I loved the Bridge Four tie-in, the character arc, and the side characters.
Favorite Book that Made Me Cry
Defiant by Brandon Sanderson
This is the fourth and final book in Sanderson’s Skyward series, a YA science fiction. While I like the series, it’s not my favorite by Sanderson so I was not expecting to love the finale as much as I did. I also did not know that I would cry THREE different times at the end of the book. But, I did. The ending was emotionally impactful in many ways. I loved the friendships, the growth we see from the characters, and portrayal of grief and how as humans can carry grief together.
Favorite Book Recommended by Bookstagram
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Jo
I saw so many people on Bookstagram recommending this book and it did not disappoint! This historical fiction had a great romance, a strong female lead, and a thought-provoking theme of equality. The fact that the main character is a writer is a great bonus!
Favorite Book in a Series
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber
I honestly read a lot of great books that are part of series this year, but this one was so great, it had to make my favorites list. I enjoyed the series but loved this finale! The pacing was just right for me, the romance had great tension, and the ending was the just right amount of wrap up and happily ever after for me.
Favorite Read Aloud Book
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
I am a huge fan of Where the Red Fern Grows and had never read Summer of the Monkeys. I decided to try it as a read aloud.
When I first started reading, I thought this one inferior to Where the Red Fern Grows, but then I absolutely loved the ending! It brought me to tears multiple times and the lead up was so well done. The kids also loved the antics of the monkeys and would beg me to keep reading each night. It was a fantastic read aloud and I will definitely revisit this classic in the future.
Bonus: Favorite Reread
Sammy Keyes by Wendelin Van Draanen
I never include rereads in my list of favorite books, but as a bonus, I always pick a favorite reread at the end of the year. This year, my favorite reread was probably Sammy Keyes. I first read this a few years ago and actually finished reading the series in September of 2023. In October, I read this first book in the series aloud to the girls and we all loved it! I had so much fun revisiting the first so soon after reading the last book in the series (which is a sort of tribute to Sammy and all the adventures she has throughout the series) and I also loved how much the kids loved it.
Have you read and loved (or hated) any of these books? What were your favorite books that you read last year? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan! I read my first book by him (Way of Kings) when I was 19 and devoured the 6 books he had out at the time. He is an auto-buy author for me, and I always read his new releases almost immediately.
While I don’t think he’s ever written a book I didn’t enjoy, my favorites by him tend to be the Cosmere books. Many of his fantasy books take place in the same universe, though they can be read independently of each other (similar to Marvel).
In December of 2024, the 5th book in his Stormlight series (an epic fantasy series set in the Cosmere) comes out and I am beyond excited! To prepare for it and for fun, I am doing a Cosmere rereadathon this year. If you would like to reread the Stormlight books and/or any Cosmere books, or read them for the first time, you are welcome to join along!
I am not planning on reading Allomancer Jack or White Sands (because they aren’t my favorite) and I am also not reading any of the secret projects from 2023, because I have read them so recently.
Here is a rough schedule of what I am planning to read and when. I’ll be posting onInstagram stories about my progress and talking some about them as I read through them.
January – The Final Empire
February – The Well Ascension
March – Hero of Ages, Mistborn: Secret History, and The Eleventh Metal
April – Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self
May – Bands of Mourning and The Lost Metal
June – Warbreaker
July – Elantris, Hope of Elantris, and Emperor’s Soul
August – Way of Kings
September – Words of Radiance and Edgedancer
October – Oathbringer and Dawnshard
November – Rhythm of War
December – Sixth of Dusk and Shadows for Silence in the Forest of Hell
January
The Final Empire
I wanted to start with Mistborn, one of Sanderson’s first series. It is still one of my favorite series of all time and I’m excited to revisit it.
February
The Well of Ascension
This is the second Mistborn book. These are long enough books that I’m trying to keep it to one book for the month. If I finish early, I can start the next book in the series early.
March
Hero of Ages
This the final book of the original Mistborn series.
Mistborn: Secret History
This is a short novella that should be read after the original series (because it has spoilers for the final book). It’s short enough that I don’t mind including it with the final Mistborn book.
The Eleventh Metal
This is a companion short story to the original series. I don’t remember a lot about it and am excited to reread it. It’s a short story, so it doesn’t matter too much where I put it in the schedule, and I liked the idea of finishing up the original Mistborn material in March.
April
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
These are the first two in the Wax and Wayne series, books that take place in the same world as the original Mistborn series but hundreds of years later. They are shorter than the Mistborn books and I needed to double up on them in order to finish the Cosmere books this year.
May
Bands of Mourning
The Lost Metal
These are the last two of the Wax and Wayne series. If I were reading the Allomancer Jack stories, this is where I would have put them.
June
Warbreaker
This is a standalone (with potential for more books) that has big tie-ins with the Stormlight series. It has been many years since I read this book and am feeling very ready for a refresh on the characters that cross over.
July
Elantris
This is another standalone novel and was Brandon Sanderson’s first published novel. I have always loved the romance in this one. It is also the one that has been longest since I’ve read it.
Hope of Elantris
This is a companion short story to Elantris that I remember very little about.
Emperor’s Soul
This is a novella that takes place in the same world as Elantris. Because of that, and because Elantris is shorter than Warbreaker, I thought it would be good to include it in July.
August
Way of Kings
This is the first book in the Stormlight Archive (the series that the new release is a part of). I have reread this many times (at least once before any new books came out and then again with each new release) but it has so much to it, that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to reread it too many times. I am especially looking forward to the ending, as it is one of my favorite endings ever.
September
Words of Radiance
This the second book in the Stormlight Archive.
Edgedancer
This is a novella that takes place between Words of Radiance and Oathbringer. It is a “novella” but is actually fairly long. If I don’t have time to read it in September, I’ll read it at the beginning of October before jumping into Oathbringer.
October
Oathbringer
This is the third book in the Stormlight Archive and the one I am most looking forward to. It’s my favorite book in the series (Dalinar is my favorite character, and I will never NOT cry at his big moment in this book).
Dawnshard
Dawnshard is another Stormlight novella and takes place between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War. I remember loving it when I read it and am especially looking forward to a refresh on some things after reading the fourth secret project.
November
Rhythm of War
This is the fourth Stormlight novel and I really, really need to reread it as I’ve only read it the one time when it first released.
December
Sixth of the Dusk
This is an earlier novella by Brandon Sanderson, and it has been a long time since I read it. Because December is a busier month and the fifth Stormlight book comes out early in the month, I wanted to pick a quicker reread (or two).
Shadows for Silence in the Forest of Hell
This is another novella in the Cosmere. These two reads combined will not take a lot of time to read and will be easily doable in December.
I am very much looking forward to a deeper dive into the Cosmere next year and to the release of Wind and Truth!
Are you a Cosmere fan? What is a new release you are looking forward to in 2024? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Movie adaptations can get a bad rap, for good reason, when compared to the original book they were adapted from.
There are some I can think of (like The Tale of Despereaux, Eragon, or Ella Enchanted) that are just hard to watch. But there are others that our family has enjoyed as much as or even more than their books.
Matilda
I grew up watching and LOVING this movie and I didn’t actually read the book until I was an adult. The nostalgia may be part of why I love it so much, but it’s also such a well-done movie. When I read about the making of it, it made me love it even more! While I enjoy the book, the movie will always keep a special place in my heart.
Howl’s Moving Castle
This is another moving I watched several times as a teenager. I didn’t read the book until I was an adult (and didn’t even realize there was a book until then!). While I loved the book, I really liked the changes they made in the movie and the movie is so beautiful that it is a work of art. While they did make plot changes, I felt that the movie did a great job staying true to the characters.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Unlike the first two, this isn’t one I grew up watching or reading. I actually read this with my kids and then we watched the movie together. The book and movie are pretty different from each other, but both have things I really like about both. The book is more episodic and has a charm to it that my girls really loved. The movie has more of a character and plot, which is really fun, and of course the artwork is beautiful.
The Help
I read this book as a teenager before they had even made the movie and absolutely loved it. I liked it so much that when I went to the movie in theaters, I remember being very nervous about not liking the movie. I was pleasantly surprised with the movie, though, and really enjoyed it. There are of course differences (especially with how the mother-daughter relationship is resolved) but again, I felt they stayed true to the characters and did a great job bringing out the same emotions. While I don’t like the movie more than the book, I still love it.
Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Rings, for me, goes way back. My mom started reading the books aloud to me when I was about 8 or 9. Right after that, the movies started coming out. I was pretty young when I went to see them in theaters. I remember, as a child, being very put out by some of the changes they made. The two I remember most are the first movie not including Tom Bombadil and the third movie ending without the last battle in Hobbiton. Of course, it was worse in theaters because those were not the extended editions.
I didn’t actually read the books again as a child after that, but I watched the movies more times than I can count. I have a lot of nostalgia and a deep love for the movies. As an adult, I decided to revisit the books and was a little disappointed. I still love the characters and the world and the plot that JRR Tolkien created, but his writing style is not my favorite. I love the way the movies took the characters and expanded on those and the way the plot of the movie was tightened up. I also love the actors and actresses of the movies. I will always appreciate the books and I will always like the movies just a little bit more than the books.
What movie adaptations do you love? What movie adaptations do you hate? Let me know in the comment section below!
I had a great reading month in September! I participated in 30 Books in 30 Days and Series September and had so much fun with both readathons.
I also had a lot of five star reads, so I’ll jump right in!
Sammy Keyes by Wendelin Van Draanen
I read the last five books in the Sammy Keyes series and all five were 5 star reads for me! I love Sammy and her friends so much and was so sad to see the end of the series, though I loved the ending!
A Ben of All Trades by Michael J Rosen
This is a short book highlighting earlier aspects of Benjamin Franklin’s story. I loved learning a little more about Benjamin Franklin and liked the book’s focus on how Franklin’s exploration early in life helped him become the man he was. I listened to the audiobook, but I read that the illustrations are well worth reading the physical book.
The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett
This middle grade book about two boys who love to prank people was funny and a wild ride. I loved the themes and I can see my kids loving it when they are just a little older.
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
I read at least one Agatha Christie book a month as I’m working my way through her many novels and they are often my favorite reads of the month. This Poirot mystery was no exception and was such a fun read.
Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
The kids and I read the first Mighty Jack book last month and the Zita the Space Girl books earlier this year. This month, we finished both graphic novel series (the series have the same book as the final book in their series) and absolutely loved them both! The finale was so well done and really showed the growth of the characters from both series.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
I grew up watching this movie with my friends and have always loved it, so when I found out that there was a book, I had to read. The book had its differences from the movie, of course, but I loved it. It’s great in its own way, just as the movie is.
Murder by Invitation Only by Colleen Cambridge
This series follows the fictitious housekeeper of Agatha Christie as she solves mysteries that seem to occur in her presence. I loved the first two books and was happily anticipating this new release in the series. It was just as enjoyable a read as the others and I can’t wait for the next release!
Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose by Nancy Springer
Enola Holmes is another series I’ve loved for a long time. I didn’t realize until recently that there was a new book in the series out, but when I did, I devoured it. It is so fun to watch Enola solve mysteries and get herself out of tight predicaments. It was a highly enjoyable read.
Zoey and Sassafras by Asla Citro
My kids and I listened to volumes 1-6 on Audible and all loved it. It follows a little girl who loves science and can see magical creatures. It was the perfect combination for my own girls! The narration was also well done and the story cute.
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
I love Liane Moriarty’s writing style, I think she is so good at giving just enough information that the reader is then dying to know more. It works particularly well with the thrillers she written, which this one is a thriller. It’s a wild ride.
Diana: Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Hale
This middle grade graphic novel follows Diana, the only child on the island of the Amazons, as she tries to find a friend. The illustrations are lovely, the story is fun, and the characters are all likable. I also read the sequel and rated it 5 stars, though I think I liked the first book in the series more.
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
This was my only reread this month. I read it aloud with my kids and it was so fun to share a childhood favorite with them. They loved it and literally squealed at the marriage proposal at the end. It was a fun way to finish the month!
What did you read in September? I would love to hear about the books you loved in the comments below!
When I was a teenager, I read voraciously and without any real pattern. There was a lot of organic discovery at the library, no tracking whatsoever (I’m still sad about all the books I read that I’ll never remember and therefore never be able to mark on Goodreads), and so much rereading of my favorite books.
As I’ve gotten back into reading as an adult and found bookish communities online, it’s been delightful. Goodreads is amazing (and maddening), I have a bookish bullet journal that I love (and would have loved in high school if I’d known it was a thing), and I have also discovered seasonal reading, which very much fits my personality and is super fun for me.
Today I am sharing what types of books I tend to read at different times of the year, and giving a recommendation for each category.
January
The start of a new year is always exciting. There’s a fresh-page feel to everything you do. Probably because of New Year’s and the focus on goals, one of my favorite genres to read is nonfiction self help books. I think I am extra motivated in January to make changes to my life, so self help books are more exciting then.
I also love to read Agatha Christie in January. My goal is to read one book a month by her throughout the year, but I get extra nostalgic about her books during the first month and often will read multiple by her.
January is also a month that I love to get a good start on my reading goals, by knocking out some of faster reads on any of my lists. This is especially true of my goal to read all the unread books I own in January by the end of the year. Finding quicker reads on that list to get through is a fun way for me to start off my reading year strong.
Self Help Book Recommendation:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Atomic Habits has been my number one spot for their nonfiction self help for years now. The information in it has been life changing for me, and it is a very accessible read with a lot of fun stories in it. I also get more out of it every time I reread it.
The number one thing that has been helpful for me from the book is the idea of small habit changes–you don’t need to make these huge changes in order for your life to get better. As you make small course corrections, your identity begins to shift. As your identity begins to shift, you begin making more changes in that direction, which then affects your identity and it’s a cycle. When I am struggling in an area of my life, I often look at small changes I can make to my behavior or to my environment that will make big differences to my trajectory. I also have started small with habits when I first read this book (such as reading in my scriptures) that I am still going strong on now–and they aren’t as small as they were when I started!
Agatha Christie Recommendation:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is not Agatha Christie’s most famous book, but it’s up there. It is my favorite because I had such a great experience with the whodunnit journey. I loved not knowing who had done and coming up with theories and then when the reveal happened, I was very surprised. And yet, looking back, it all made sense to me.
I also really enjoyed the format of the story and I tend to really like the mysteries with Poirot.
Other favorites have been And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, A Caribbean Mystery, One Two Buckle My Shoe, and any of the short story collections.
Fast Read Recommendation:
What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella
What Does It Feel Like is a three hour audiobook, so very short and quick, but very hard hitting. It follows a famous author who wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there, until they inform her that she had brain surgery because of brain cancer. She then has to work through memory issues, recover from the surgery at Christmas time, and get used to her new life as things are much different now.
Despite being short, the story packs in a lot of emotion. I have to admit that I bawled through it. It is partially autobiographical (in that Sophie Kinsella went through a lot of the same experiences as the main character, though she made some things up and the characters are fictional), which only made it more powerful and emotional of a read for me.
February
With Valentine’s Day being in February, I often focus my reading on romance books. This includes regency, YA contemporary, and romcoms. The only caveat I have with romance books is that I avoid any books with open door scenes and only read clean romance.
Regency Recommendation:
A Game of Hearts by Joanna Barker
I tend to enjoy regency romance books sparingly, but I do enjoy them. Joanna Barker is one my favorite authors for the genre and my favorite book by her is A Game of Hearts (though A Heart Worth Stealing is a close second).
A Game of Hearts follows Marigold, who loves archery and wants women to be able to compete as well as men and especially wants to beat out her long-time rival Tristan. The book starts off with my personal favorite romance trope, hate-to-love, and then moves to a marriage-of-convenience trope by the end of the book. Both are executed on very well and are fun to read. The characters have great chemistry and the story is believable for the time frame it takes place in. I loved it from beginning to end.
YA Contemporary Recommendation:
Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West
Kasie West has a large backlist of clean and sweet YA romances (her newer adult romcoms are not clean). I have enjoyed many of them and this is one of my favorites.
In Love, Life and the List, Abby has an unrequited crush on her best friend and a desire to be a “real” artist. To improve her art, she sets herself a list of ten things to do over the summer to get out of her comfort zone and really experience life–but finds she must change herself along the way. I love the relationships, both the romantic friends-to-lovers and her relationship with her friends and Grandpa. The character arc is very satisfying and the romance has a sweet conclusion to it. If you enjoy YA contemporary, Kasie West is a great author to check out.
Rom Com Recommendation:
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Adult rom coms are some of my favorite books to read as an adult reader, but I also love clean romance books. Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors for clean rom coms and my favorite book by her is Hello Stranger.
Hello Stranger follows an portrait artist who experiences a rare complication from a minor brain surgery–face blindness. She can see, but faces are all a jumble to her. As she struggles to hang onto her artistic dreams, she also has to deal with family issues, health issues with her beloved dog, and a love triangle with two very different men. I loved the whole story, from the very beginning, but the ending was my favorite–there is a plot twist I never saw coming, but looking back, was very well foreshadowed. I loved it and wish I could read it again for the first time.
March
With Middle Grade March, I mostly read middle grade books in March. I love focusing on middle grade books across different genres and participating in the readathon with others.
Middle Grade Recommendation:
Framed! by James Ponti
One of my favorite middle grade authors is James Ponti (he also wrote City Spies and Sherlock Society) and my favorite book series by him is Framed!
Framed! is a series that follows a boy named Florian and his friend Margaret who use a TOAST, the Theory of All Small Things–a tecnique for solving mysteries small and large. Using this theory, Florian get involved with an FBI case and eventually begin working as a secret FBI consultant. Between his schoolwork, of course.
The plot is full of mysteries and action, the themes involve friendship and growing up, and there is a strong family base to it all. I love the way Florian and Margaret solve the mysteries with TOAST and I loved the themes and growth of the characters throughout the series. My kids all loved the series as well.
April
April is when Spring starts teasing us with warm weather just to get cold again and it’s also the month of my husband and I’s wedding anniversary. This time of year, I love to read romances and classics. I read other genres as well, but those tend to be ones I’m drawn to around this time.
Romance Recommendation:
The Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall
The Secret Bridesmaid was one of my favorite books in 2025. It is a contemporary romance following Sophie, whose job is a “professional bridesmaid”. People hire her to be their bridesmaid, to both plan the wedding and pretend to be their friend for the wedding, as their bridesmaid. She gets hired by the parents of a rich and spoiled girl to be a bridesmaid, but the girl doesn’t want her and does everything she can to make Sophie’s life miserable. I loved the hate-to-friendship relationship there and of course, the romance that made the whole situation even more tricky. I also appreciated how clean the book was.
Katy Birchall is a new author to me, but I enjoyed this book so much, I want to try out her other books and love recommending this book to anyone who enjoys clean romance.
Classic Recommendation:
The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery
I have many classics that I love and most classics are very well known and talked about. I wanted to pick one that I haven’t heard a lot about but that I loved–The Blue Castle. LM Montgomery is most famous for Anne, but I’ve loved many of her other books.
The Blue Castle is actually my favorite by her. It is an adult romance following Valancy. Valancy is 29, unmarried, and feeling stuck until some shocking news from her doctor spur her to make some changes in her life. The book has a romcom feel to it, with misunderstandings, character growth, and an adorable romance. I had never even heard of this book until a couple of years ago and didn’t know such a gem existed!
May-July
From May to July, as I am enjoying all the warm weather with my kids and family, I love to read fun and light books. I tend towards contemporary books (particularly ones that take place in the summer) and chicklit type books during these months.
Contemporary Summer Read Recommendation:
The One with the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel
A really fun summer contemporary book is The One with the Kiss Cam. Cindy Steel is another of my favorite authors for romance and this one is the prefect read for summer time.
It starts off with two strangers ending up on the kiss cam together–and spending the rest of the evening together. They go their separate ways and it’s as if their spur of the moment date never happened … until years later, when the main character Nora starts a new job and bumps into her “kiss cam date” in the elevator. Life didn’t exactly take her where she had wanted to go over the years, he’s dating someone else, and she’s a rule follower while he’s more of a throw the rule book out kind of guy. I loved the book from beginning to end, and especially the ending.
Chicklit Recommendation:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarity
If you could magically read one book for the first time again, what would it be? Mine would probably be Big Little Lies. I devoured it the first time I read it and I love rereading it (especially when I listened to it with my husband, that was really fun), but it is the kind of book that is best on the first read.
Big Little Lies follows three kindergarten moms as they become friends and live their lives, all leading up to … something. A murder? An accident? We’re not sure exactly what happened, but Liane Moriarity gives the reader just enough information to know something big happened and desperately want to know what happened, all while getting heavily invested in each character and hoping most of the theories you’re coming up with are wrong. I love the way Liane Moriarty writes characters and the way she handles tension. This was my first book by her and remains my favorite.
August
With summer wrapping up, August often feels like a turning point in the year, with the end of the year coming fast. For that reason, August is often a month in which I take a look at my reading goals and make significant progress in areas where I’m lacking. This is is especially true of any big books on my TBR, that I know I’ll need more time to get through, since September is my month for shorter reads and then it’s onto the holidays.
Big Book Recommendation:
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
If you are looking for a reading investment–whether that’s because you want to get your money’s worth out of a credit or you simply enjoy reading larger books sometimes–The Stormlight Archive series is a great pick.
It has a bit of a steep learning curve right at the beginning, but then once you get into the book, the characters are amazing. The ending of The Way of Kings is one of the best I’ve ever read (only surpassed, in my opinion, by the ending of the third book in the seires, Oathbringer). Despite its size, this book is one I’ve come back to and reread time and time again. This is also a great time to pick up the series, because it is going to have ten books in it, but the series’ arc is split in two and the first arc just finished up with the release of book 5.
September
Because I love to participate in 30 Books in 30 Days, a readathon where you do just that and read 30 books in September, this is a generally a month of short reads for me. For the readathon, short stories and novellas count, but I also love to read some actual novels that are quicker reads, especially ones on my TBR list. I’ll save short books all year for September.
Short Read Recommendation:
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion
I love this series, and in my opinion, the farther you get into it, the better it gets (my personal favorite is book 8!). The first two books in the series are very quick reads–the audiobook of the first is a little over three hours and the audiobook of the second is four and a half hours. After that, they get longer (six to nine hour audiobooks).
I actually love that the first two are shorter–it allowed me to read them when I wasn’t as invested yet, and feel like I was making good progress on a new series. The first especially would have been harder for me to get through if it had been longer, but by book three, I was already invested and ready to read the books no matter their length. By book 8 (the last one released, though book 9 is expected to release this year), I was devouring it and wishing it was longer, despite it being the longest book yet (a twelve and a half hour audiobook).
Short Read Recommendation:
Agatha Christie plays
I love Agatha Christie and actually, a lot of her books are quicker, shorter reads. If you really want to get a quick read–the kind you can read in a day or one sitting–then her plays are the perfect pick. Because they are formatted as a screenplay, they are mostly dialogue. I think it usually takes me 1-2 hours at most to read through them.
My favorite plays by her are The Unexpected Guest, Mousetrap, and Spider’s Web. They are all quick reads but they still have characters that draw you into the mystery and twist endings that feel fun and satsifying, whether you guess them or not. Reading her plays are also a great way to get a taste of what her writing and stories are like before committing to reading her longer novels, something that can be daunting if you aren’t as used to the old fashioned language.
October
October is the start of all things spooky, but in a fun way. I’m not as into hardcore horror and definitely not gore, but I still like to get into the spirit of Halloween. In October, I love to read Mystery, Thriller, Horror Fantasy/Fantasy, and Witch or Magic Books (including Harry Potter).
Mystery Recommendation:
Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge
Colleen Cambridge has become one of my favorite mystery authors over the last few years and my favorite series by her is Phyllida Bright.
Murder at Mallowan Hall follows Phyllida Bright, the fictional housekeeper to Agatha Christie. Phyllida is very efficient in all areas of her life and loves Christie’s books, especially Poirot. When a murder takes place at Mallowan Hall, Phyllida feels it is her duty to investigate. She uses Poirot as a role model as she balance her housekeeping duties with her attempts to catch a dangerous killer. The series blends the detective plot with a Downton Abbey-esque subplot really well, as well as a romance that I love and great mysteries.
Thriller Recommendation:
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
I love thrillers, but I don’t love heavy language, sexual content, and gory violence. It can be hard to find thrillers that I love that aren’t too much for me, but this one hit the spot.
In Mother-Daughter Murder Night, it follows a grandmother with cancer, a mother, and her daughter. It’s described as Gilmore Girls but with murder, which is an apt description. I love the dynamics between the three generations and the way the relationships between all three of them grow and change throughout the book. The grandmother is such a fun character to read about and the mystery of the thriller is a compelling one.
Fantasy Recommendation:
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
I read first read Mistborn almost 15 years ago and it has remained my favorite fantasy book through all that time. Every time I reread the book, I just love it more.
Mistborn combines amazing characters with a really cool magic system, secrets in the world to uncover, and a heist feel (in the first book, the main group of characters are pulling a heist and in the rest of the series, they are dealing with the fallout of that heist). The first book is great on its own, but the ending to the series is the best part. I love the twist that is revealed at the end, as well as the way everything is wrapped up. This series is also great for Halloween time–it isn’t a gritty fantasy, but it also isn’t a lighthearted one and the feel fits into fall in the perfect way.
Magic Book Recommendation:
A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison
If you are looking for a fun-filled book revolving around magic for Halloween, A Pinch of Magic is a great choice.
A Pinch of Magic is a middle grade fantasy book following three sisters who inherit a “pinch” of magic each, but also a live with a curse. In attempting to break the curse, they get themselves into a dangerous situation and have to use not only their little bit of magic, but their own wits and each other to get out of it.
The book is a fun middle grade that has strong family relationships, a cool magic system, and atmospheric world. It does a really good job of setting up an impossible problem and then solving that problem in a satisfying way.
November
November is that awkward time between Halloween and Christmas, at least for me. There’s Thanksgiving–a holiday I love–but there aren’t really ‘Thanksgiving books’. What tends to happen for me is the first half of November ends up being a continuation of October-ish reads and the second half of November leads up to December. And once Thanksgiving is over, I dive into my Christmas books!
November Recommendation:
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
Jane Harper is one of my favorite authors, though it suprised me how much I enjoyed her books when I first started reading them. She writes slower paced, character driven thrillers set in Australia and I devour her books each time I pick one up.
The Lost Man is a stand alone following a family living on a cattle property in outback Queensland. The land is harsh and unforgiving. The three brothers are grown with their own families and lives when one of them is found dead on the land. If he didn’t lose hope and leave himself there to die, there are few suspects that could be responsible. The book combines mystery, family drama, survival in a harsh land, suspense, and a dash of romance. I was gripped throughout the entire story and couldn’t stop thinking about it when I finished reading it. It is my favorite of Jane Harper’s books so far.
November Recommendation:
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
I know I already recommended this series, but that just goes to show how much I love it. There’s something about the atmosphere of this series that feels perfect for November.
The series has festivals and celebrations, a Christmas (I think Christmas happens in the fifth book), grief, friendships, and a love of reading and books. Whether you are reading this in November as a lead up to Christmas or just to get through that cold but not yet festive time of year, it is perfect. I also feel the themes explored throughout the book are very appropriate for Thanksgiving and the time of year that focuses on being grateful for the relationships and blessings in our life.
December
December is my most seasonal read-heavy month of the year as I mostly focus on Christmas books leading up to the holiday. My favorite thing is sitting in front of the tree while reading whatever Christmas book I’m in the middle of. I don’t focus on reading goals and often don’t read as much because of how busy the season is. Once Christmas is over, I finish up any last minute books for my reading goals and I also love to finish off the year with a romance book or two.
Christmas Book Recommendation:
The Complete Christmas Books by Lucy Maud Montgomery
I read this story collection last year and with one exception (The Red Room), I was delighted with every single one! I loved how wholesome and service oriented each story was, it really brought the spirit of Christmas into my home as I read them.
They are broken up into two sections–Christmas stories and New Year’s stories. The stories in both sections have a similar feel to them, of uplifting each other, sacrificing for others, and focusing on those around us rather than ourselves. I read the Christmas ones leading up to Christmas and then read the New Year’s ones between the two holidays and really enjoyed both. I am planning on reading most of the stories with my kids next year during the holiday season.
Christmas Book Recommendation:
Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
I like Sophie Kinsella, but I actually didn’t love Confessions of a Shopaholic as much as other people do (I preferred the movie). I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up loving the Christmas sequel to the novel.
In the book, Becky adores Christmas. But this year, she’s in charge of hosting and things are not going well. It was so fun to read all about her antics and the problems she got herself into along the way, but also her determination to get herself out again. There was a cute Christmas message and the ending was so heart warming, it brought me to tears. It was a delightful read that got me right into the holiday mood.
Romance Recommendation:
The Key to my Heart by Lia Louis
Lia Louis is a new author to me and I want to read more by her after this book. The Key to my Heart deals with grief, friendship, and romance in the best way.
Natalie’s husband passed away two years ago, but she’s struggling to move on with her life. Then someone mysteriously starts leaving sheet music of her husband’s favorite songs for her. As she tries to solve the mystery of who could be leaving the sheet music, she meets new friends and begins to wonder if maybe she could find new love for herself again after all.
The book deals with grief in a very touching way and I loved the way the book handled all the different relationships, from old friendships to new friendships to the romance. The writing actually reminded me of Sophie Kinsella, but with a more serious tone. I loved the book and can’t wait to try more from this author.
Those are the different books I tend to read throughout the year–some months more seasonal, others less so. I have found a lot of joy in reading more seasonally as I’ve gotten older! Do you read seasonally? What types of books do you like to read at different times of the years? I’d love to hear from you!
In 2025, I did a personal readathon where I read all of the Little House on the Prairie books. I had read them as a child, but hadn’t revisited most of them since then. It was delightful and I’m now rereading the series aloud with my kids–it’s extra fun, as my four year old son is very into them. I had so much fun, I wanted to do something similar in 2026 and decided to read the entire Anne of Green Gables series!
I have read Anne of Green Gables many times and have read a few of the other books once, but I haven’t ever read the entire series, so I’m very excited.
Here is my plan for reading the Anne series in 2026:
March
Anne of Green Gables
Because there are only 8 books in the series, I decided to wait and start my readathon in March. My first read of the series will be rereading Anne of Green Gables. I love the idea of reading in spring, when the world is just warming up, and I’m also excited to read it as part of Middle Grade March.
April
Anne of Avonlea
I have recently reread Anne of Avonlea, which picks up right after Anne ends. I love the book, watching Anne grow up a little but also seeing all her antics continue.
May
Anne of the Island
I know I’ve read this one before, but I don’t remember it very well. Anne of the Island follows Anne’s life at college and is also a book in which her romance with Gilbert begins to bloom. My review of it says I loved it the first time, so I expect to love it when I revisit it in May.
June
Anne of Windy Poplars
Now we’re getting to books in the series that I haven’t read before. In this book, Anne has her first job out of college as a principal, with a big-name family not happy that she was picked. This sounds charming, I’m very excited to read it.
July
Anne’s House of Dreams
This is one of the books that I’m most looking foward to reading in the series–the book in which Anne and Gilbert get married and start their life together.
August
Anne of Ingleside
In Anne of Ingleside, Anne is now a mother of 5. As a mother of 5 myself, I am very ready to relate to Anne and her life in this book.
September
Rainbow Valley
I think Rainbow Valley follows Anne’s six children and some of the adventures they go on, which sounds so fun! I love the way LM Montgomery writes about children.
October
Rilla ma Rilla
I’ll be finishing up the series in October with Rilla ma Rilla. This final book follows Anne’s daughter Rilla as World War II starts. I’ve heard it has all the charm of the previous books, but with more depth and I’ve also heard many people who say it was their favorite of the series.
I am very excited to be reading Anne this year! I have wanted to finish the series for years now and I’m also excited to revisit some of my favorites. What is your favorite Anne book? Will you be reading along with me? Let me know in the comments below!
