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It’s been an entire year since I last linked up with Top Ten Tuesday!  Today’s prompt is to share the books on my Spring TBR and here are ten that are on my radar:

1 // My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
This was the book chosen for The Booktube Spin Challenge back in February and I still haven’t gotten to it!

2 // The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure
From the summary: “For anyone who has ever wanted to step into the world of a favorite book, here is a pioneer pilgrimage, a tribute to Laura Ingalls Wilder, and a hilarious account of butter-churning obsession.”  Sounds interesting and possibly right up my alley!

3 // The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall
My mom passed this one on to me months ago and it somehow got lost in my stacks.  I don’t know much about it (something about marriage and religion?) , but many people I know have given it really high marks.

4 // Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
This memoir, about a family who challenged themselves to eat locally for a year, sounds like a great motivator as we put in our spring garden.  I may be one of the only people left who haven’t read it – so many people rave about this book!

5 // Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
From the dustjacket: “I tell of a time, a place, and a way of life long gone.  For many years I have had the urge to describe that treasure trove, lest it vanish forever.  So, partly in response to the basic human instinct to share feelings and experiences, and partly for the sheer joy and excitement of it all, I report on my early life.  It was quite a romp.”  This is Mildred’s childhood story, growing up on her grandparents’ farm during the Great Depression.  There are stories and recipes and how-tos…I can’t wait to read this one.

6 // An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler
I started reading this book back in 2018, but somehow along the way, I put it down and never finished it!  It looks like I’m about halfway through, so it won’t take me long to finish.  I remember feeling very inspired to get to work in the kitchen, so hopefully it will have the same effect.

7 // The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food and Love by Kristin Kimball
Another memoir about farming!  This is another one with rave reviews.

8 // A Place on Earth by Wendell Berry
Even though I’ve only read a few of his works, Wendell Berry is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.  I picked this book up for cheap on Better World Books to add to my collection.

9 // The Glovemaker by Ann Weisgarber
Last month, I read another book by Weisgarber called The Personal History of Rachel DuPree and I enjoyed her writing enough that I picked up her latest.  I don’t know much about it other than it’s historical fiction set in 1880’s Utah.  Excited to read something different and new.

10 // The Lightkeeper’s Wife by Sarah Anne Johnson
This was a complete impulse buy when I was on Better World Books!  I don’t know anything about this one either, except that there are shipwrecks and pirates…could be interesting, so sign me up!

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I’m linking up again with Top Ten Tuesday and today’s prompt is to share my spring TBR.  I grabbed a handful of books from my nightstand and was a little too excited to discover that most of the spines were in shades of blue and green – how perfect for the season!  Here are ten books that I hope to read in the next few months:

1 // Strangers and Sojourners by Michael D. O’Brien

2 // Characters of the Passion by Fulton J. Sheen
I love Bishop Fulton Sheen’s writing (this post is about his book that I read for Lent last year) and think this little book will be perfect for Holy Week.

3 // Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
This novel is a little out of my comfort zone since I don’t read a lot of magical realism.  I totally picked it for the beautiful cover, ha!

4 // A Year Without a Purchase: One Family’s Quest to Stop Shopping and Start Connecting by Scott Dannemiller
I’m always looking for things to inspire and fuel my quest for simplicity and frugality and I hope this memoir will do just that.

5 // Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
This will be a re-read for me – it’s been on my mind since reading Ordinary Grace last month!

6 // There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Akeson McGurk
I put this one on my 100 Little Things list and I’m anxious to finally dive in.  This book comes highly recommended!

7 // The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach
I don’t remember how I acquired this personal finance book, but I’m curious enough to see what it’s all about.  The reviews on Goodreads seem all over the place…we’ll see where I fall.

8 // Trials of the Earth: The True Story of a Pioneer Woman by Mary Mann Hamilton
I looooove pioneer novels.  Reading about their hard work and struggles inspires me and really helps me put my suffering in perspective.  I can’t wait to read this true story.

9 // The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups by Leonard Sax, MD
I’m not a huge fan of most parenting books, but this one came recommended by a few different people, so I’m giving it a shot.

10 // The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs by Tristan Gooley
I’ve been slowly making my way through this one and it is so interesting!  Lots and lots to learn.

Linking up for the first time with Top Ten Tuesday!  This post contains affiliate links.

This will come as no surprise to you, but I asked for books for Christmas.  Mark graciously agreed to work from my specific list (my Goodreads TBR) and we found almost all of the books at Book Outlet.  I’ve already read the first two on the list and can’t wait to get to the rest.  Here are the ten newest books on my nightstand:  

1 // What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen by Kate Fagan
This was the first book I read from the pile.  It’s the true story of a driven college athlete who struggled with depression and eventually took her own life.  It was a heart-wrenching read, but I learned a lot.  (Read my full review here.)

2 // 102 Minutes: The Unforgettable Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn
I just finished this one last week and it was my first five-star read of the new year.  It takes you through the minutes between when the planes crashed into the Twin Towers and when they collapsed.  I know this book will stay with me for a long time.

3 // The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
(The rest of the books from here on out are ones that I haven’t read yet, so these descriptions will be a little lame.)  I saw this one recommended in a few difference places and my friends on Goodreads gave it pretty high stars.  A historical mystery with an Indian twist – sign me up!

4 // I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
I enjoy thrillers with vague descriptions that give nothing away and I Let You Go falls right into that category.  My friends on Goodreads gave it anywhere from two to five stars, so I’m curious to see where I will fall.

5 // Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey
This military history book seems to be in a similar vein to 102 Minutes: looking back at a moment in history and dissecting the things that went right and the things that went wrong.  I’m a firm believer that you can’t be wise about the future without learning from the past, so this type of book is fascinating to me and right up my alley.

6 // Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons by Christie Purifoy
I have no memory of this memoir, but after reading the description again, it does seem to be something I’d enjoy, ha!

7 // The Time in Between by María Dueñas
I shelved this one back in 2012 and I don’t have any recollection about where I heard about it.  A translated historical novel from Spain and I didn’t realize that it was so huge!  Over 600 pages.

8 // Townie by Andre Dubus III
I’ve never read anything by Dubus, but this memoir about his childhood and how he was saved by writing sounds really interesting.

9 // Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: an Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown
I think this book came on my radar after reading Killers of the Flower Moon in 2018, when I realized that my knowledge of Native American history was really lacking.  I’m sure this will be a heavy read, but again: the more you learn from the past, the wiser you can be about the future.

10 // Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
And last but not least, a book that gets really high ratings from my friends on Goodreads!  One person said that it reminded her of To Kill a Mockingbird and Peace Like a River, two books I love.  Can’t wait to dive into this one!

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Because I changed my Lenten plans at the last minute, March’s TBR was a bust!  For the rest of Lent, I’ll be reading mostly religious-themed books, but I’ll add in one fiction to look forward to after Easter.  Here’s what I’ve picked out to read in April:

Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen // I’m about halfway through Archbishop Sheen’s Life of Christ and loving it.  The chapters are short enough to be manageable, but boy, do they pack a punch.  Can’t wait to read to the end.  (Here‘s my Lenten reading plan if you’re interested.)

The Louder Song by Aubrey Sampson // I stumbled on this book on Instagram and since it’s a topic that I’ve been pondering quite a bit lately, I thought I’d give it a shot.


Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis // One of those books I’ve always wanted to read.


Church of Spies: The Pope’s Secret War Against Hilter by Mark Riebling // I bought this book for my husband, but I’m grabbing it to read first!


My Life in France by Julia Child // My Life in France was on my TBR list last month and I did manage to read about 50 pages.  Love imagining Julia Child’s voice coming through.

The Likeness by Tana French // After Easter, I can’t wait to dive into this mystery!

Do you make a monthly TBR list?  What’s on yours for April?

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Trying something new for March!  I’ve never pre-picked my reading choices before, but I know it’s a popular idea.  My method has always been to browse my books and see what jumps out.  I’ve rarely fallen into a reading slump this way, but I’m thinking it may be fun to change things up.  I can’t promise that I will stick to this pile, but I’m going to try!  Here’s what I’ve picked out to read in March:

FOR LENT // Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen
For Lent this year, I have decided to read through Archbishop Sheen’s Life of Christ.  I divided up the chapters to last me until Holy Saturday, so I’ll only really get halfway before the end of March.  (I have a post about my reading plan coming soon.)


MYSTERY // The Likeness by Tana French 
Can’t wait to dive into the next book in the Dublin Murder Squad series!

MEMOIR // My Life in France by Julia Child
I found a copy of My Life in France at the thrift store – for $1, woo!  I’ve always been a little fascinated by Julia Child, so I’m excited to read about her life.


MODERN CLASSIC // The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene 
I started with this one on March 1st and am already almost halfway through.  So far, I would describe The Power and the Glory as really sad.  Even though it was written in 1940, I’m finding it really thought-provoking, especially with the current crisis in the Church right now.

MEDICAL NON-FICTION // Complications by Atul Gawande
I have so much respect for the honesty of this surgeon.  Looking forward to this one!  (Also available at Book Outlet here.)




Do you make a monthly TBR list?  What’s on yours for March?

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I just received an order from Book Outlet and wanted to share the newest books on my nightstand!  Disclaimer: this box wasn’t just for me!  My big boys bought a book each and I also found two books for Easter baskets.  So I’m only half-breaking my promise from January, hah!  P.S. If you go through this link, you’ll get a $10 off coupon towards your first Book Outlet order of $25 or more.


THE DARK TOWER AND OTHER STORIES
Amazon | Book Outlet
C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity is on my list to read this year and I’d really like to collect this particular edition of his works.  So when I saw The Dark Tower and Other Stories for less than $5, I snatched it up.  The reviews I’ve read about this book are mixed and it’s definitely outside my genre comfort zone.  We’ll see!
The description: This collection of futuristic fiction includes a breathtaking science fiction story written early in his career in which Cambridge intellectuals witness the breach of space-time through a chronoscope – a telescope that looks not just into another world, but into another time.

THE LIKENESS
Amazon | Book Outlet (I can’t find it on the website now, so I must have gotten one of the last copies!)
I read In the Woods last month and Hannah said the second book was better and her favorite.  I’m anxious to read it and see if I like it enough to continue on with the series.
The description: In the “compellingˮ (The Boston Globe) and “pitch perfectˮ (Entertainment Weekly) follow-up to Tana French’s runaway bestseller In the Woods, itʼs six months later and Cassie Maddox has transferred out of the Dublin Murder Squad with no plans to go back—until an urgent telephone call summons her to a grisly crime scene. The victim looks exactly like Cassie and carries ID identifying herself as Alexandra Madison, an alias Cassie once used as an undercover cop. Cassie must discover not only who killed this girl, but, more important, who was this girl?

THE TWO-FAMILY HOUSE
Amazon | Book Outlet
This one has been on my Goodreads to-read list for a few years.  I don’t know too much about it, but I generally like to go into books that way.  Just started it yesterday and so far, so good!
The description: Brooklyn, 1947: In the midst of a blizzard, in a two-family brownstone, two babies are born, minutes apart. The mothers are sisters by marriage: dutiful, quiet Rose, who wants nothing more than to please her difficult husband; and warm, generous Helen, the exhausted mother of four rambunctious boys who seem to need her less and less each day. Raising their families side by side, supporting one another, Rose and Helen share an impenetrable bond forged before and during that dramatic winter night.
When the storm passes, life seems to return to normal; but as the years progress, small cracks start to appear and the once deep friendship between the two women begins to unravel. No one knows why, and no one can stop it. One misguided choice; one moment of tragedy. Heartbreak wars with happiness and almost, but not quite, wins. Moving and evocative, Lynda Cohen Loigman’s debut novel The Two-Family House is a heart-wrenching, gripping multigenerational story, woven around the deepest of secrets.


BEFORE THE FALL
Amazon | Book Outlet
Another one from my Goodreads TBR list.
The description: On a foggy summer night, eleven people–ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter–depart Martha’s Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are the painter Scott Burroughs and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul’s family.
Was it by chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something more sinister at work? A storm of media attention brings Scott fame that quickly morphs into notoriety and accusations, and he scrambles to salvage truth from the wreckage. Amid trauma and chaos, the fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy grows and glows at the heart of this stunning novel, raising questions of fate, morality, and the inextricable ties that bind us together.


COMPLICATIONS: A SURGEON’S NOTES ON AN IMPERFECT SCIENCE
Amazon | Book Outlet
This book is written by same author as Being Mortal, one of my five-star reads from 2018.  Being Mortal really resonated with me, so I’m sure this one will be awesome too.
The description: In gripping accounts of true cases, surgeon Atul Gawande explores the power and the limits of medicine, offering an unflinching view from the scalpel’s edge. Complications lays bare a science not in its idealized form but as it actually is – uncertain, perplexing, and profoundly human.

Your turn!  What’s on your nightstand right now?