"In a world filled with noise, 'The Correspondent' beautifully captures the silent struggles of connection, reminding us that true communication goes beyond words—it's about the heart."📚💙😭

Just finished "Things We Leave Unfinished" by Rebecca Yarros! The grandmother’s story was so rich and emotional, but the modern enemies-to-lovers plot didn’t work for me—it felt forced. If you love family histories, you’ll enjoy the grandma's journey, but the present-day bits wasn’t for me!

"Mad Honey" by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan intertwines the stories of two mothers as they confront secrets and truths about love, identity, and the complexities of family.

"Before Dorothy" by Hazel Gaynor follows a woman's journey of self-discovery as she navigates love and loss, finding her way back to her roots before the iconic tale of Oz begins.

"The Rebel Romanov" by Helen Rappaport explores the life of Julie of Saxe-Coburg, who is depicted as a significant yet overlooked figure in Russian history.

This year for Christmas Jason and I wrapped 12 books each (from our TBR lists) and we will open one each month in 2026 to read.

Happy Spooky Season! 📚👻

The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers “Fred Rogers was a man who understood the power of kindness, the importance of emotional intelligence, and the impact of nurturing relationships. He taught us that caring for others is not just an act but a way of life.”

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods “Sometimes, the things we lose lead us to what we truly need."

“In the darkest of times, creativity can be a form of resistance." -“The Dressmaker's of Auschwitz" by Lucy Adlington

“Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the resolve to act despite it." -Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly

“In moments of crisis, we reveal our true selves, and sometimes that self is more beautiful than we could ever imagine." - Bel Canto by Ann Parchett

“In 1947 Theodor W. Adorno defined what would be later called “blaming the victim,” as “one of the most sinister features of the Fascist character.” -Kate Winkler Dawson, The Sinners All Bow: Two Authors, One Murder, and the Real Hester Prynne

“We are more than our scars; we are the stories we choose to tell." - The Second Life of Mirielle West

“We are all of us, at times, both the prisoner and the architect of our own lives.” Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 📚🏝️ 🧩 🧠 🌌 ⚖️ 📖 ⛓️ - Isolation and Solitude - Identity and Self-Discovery - Memory and Reality - Wonder and Curiosity - Power and Control - Myth and Fantasy - Freedom and Confinement

“Amidst the thorns and brambles, we discovered that our struggles were the roots of our strength." “The Berry Pickers" by Amanda Peters

Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters 🌍🤝 💼 🌱 ⚖️ 👪 📉 - Immigrant Experience - Community and Belonging - Labor and Economic Hardship - Cultural Identity - Tradition vs. Modernity - Family Dynamics - Social Inequality

My Friends by Fredrik Backman 📚💙 🌟🤗💪❤️🧩 - Profound Importance - Support & understanding - Source of Strength - Cherish Relationships - Identity & Experience

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike ⚔️ 👑 ⛪️ 🌳 🛡️ ❤️ 📖 🌍 📚 - Power and Politics - Gender Roles - Paganism vs. Christianity - Identity and Heritage - War and Conflict - Love and Loyalty - Myth and Legend - Cultural Transition

James by Percival Everett ✊ 📜 🧠 💪 🔗 📚💙 -Racial Injustice -Legacy of Slavery -Cultural Memory -Resistance and Resilience -Intersectionality -Historical Narratives

The Daughter of Auschwitz 📚💙⏳😢 Holocaust Context Survival and Resilience Impact on Innocence Human Connection Hope Amidst Despair Legacy of Trauma

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West by Sarah Ackerman 👩‍✈️🚺🌍💪✈️🤝 Women in Aviation Gender Roles World War II Courage and Resilience Technological Advancements Identity and Purpose Friendship and Loyalty

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 💙📚 🕰️👗 🎭🎨🚺⚖️🔬⏳🌀👻🌌 Victorian Era Society Art and Performance in the Late 19th Century Gender Roles and Expectations The Intersection of Magic and Science Exploration of Memory and Time Cultural Fascination with the Supernatural

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb 💙📚 💔⚔️👩‍🎓🛠️❤️📬✉️💌😢🕊️🌍💪 Impact of War on Relationships Women’s Roles during WWI Love and Longing in Times of Conflict The Power of Correspondence Loss and Grief Social Change and Resilience

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas 💙📚👩‍👩‍👧‍👧🤝🏡💰💔🧵📜💪❤️🕵️‍♀️⚖️ Women’s Roles in Society The Great Depression Community and Support Economic Hardship Cultural Traditions Friendship and Resilience Mystery and Justice

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig 💙📚 🤔🌍😔🔍⚖️🔄🧠💚👥🏛️🌌📖 Existentialism and the Human Condition Regret and Reflection The Impact of Choices Coping with Mental Health Cultural and Societal Expectations The Concept of Alternate Realities

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate 👶📜 ⚖️🚫 👩‍👧‍👦💼 💸📉 💔🕰️ 🌍⚔️ 📚⚖️ Child Welfare and Adoption Practices Social Injustice Gender Roles and Expectations The Great Depression Historical Trauma Racial and Class Disparities Legal and Ethical Issues in Adoption

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 🕰️ 🌟 👨‍👩‍👧 🌾 🦠 - Memory and Nostalgia - The Impact of Fame - Family Dynamics Across Generations - Agriculture and Rural Life - Cultural Reflections of the 2020s

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith 🌍 🌆 ⚖️ 👩‍🎤 📚 🇺🇸✨ 🍷🚫 ⚔️ - Immigration and Assimilation - Urbanization - Social Class and Inequality - Women's Roles and Rights - Education Reform - The American Dream - Prohibition and Alcoholism - World War I Influence

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray 📚 ✊🏛️🌍💰🎭 - Women’s Rights Movement - Political Landscape of the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries - Impact of War and Diplomacy - Social Class and Inequality - Cultural Shifts

The Women of chateau Lafeyette by Stephanie Dryer 💪 ❤️ 👩‍🎤 🌟 ✊ 🌍 - Resilience and Strength - Love and Sacrifice - Women's Empowerment - Identity and Purpose - Courage and Resistance - Interconnectedness of Lives

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 📚👩‍👧‍👧 🌱❤️💰🤝🎨📖 - Sisterhood and Family - Gender Roles and Feminism - Personal Growth and Identity - Love and Marriage - Social Class and Poverty - Sacrifice and Duty - Art and Creativity - Morality and Virtue

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles 👨‍👦‍👦 🪞 ⚖️ 🚗🌄 🤝❤️ 🌱 🇺🇸🏞️ 🌟✨📚 - Family and Brotherhood - Identity and Self-Discovery - Choices and Consequences - Adventure and Freedom - Friendship and Loyalty - Coming of Age - American Landscape and Culture - Hope and Redemption

The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini 😔🤝💔🏰↔️🏚️👨‍👦 🏠✈️🌍⚔️📚 - Guilt and Redemption - Friendship and Betrayal - Class and Social Hierarchy - Fathers and Sons - Displacement and the Immigrant - - Experience - The Enduring Trauma of War

America’s first daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie 👨‍👩‍👧 📜 👩‍⚖️ 🌱 ⚖️ 🇺🇸📚⏳ - Family and Loyalty - Historical Legacy - Women’s Roles - Personal Growth - Social Injustice - Cultural Heritage

Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles. 💪 📉 🤝 ⏳ 🎭 🎩 📚 - Resilience and Adaptability - Social Class and Change - Friendship and Human Connection - The Passage of Time - Identity and Purpose - Elegance and Dignity - History and Memory

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris - Love and Resilience❤️🌹 - Survival🛡️✊ - Human Spirit🌟💪 - Courage and Defiance🦁✊ - Impact of War⚔️😔 - Hope🌈✨

The Brair Club by Kate Quinn 📚⌛️ 🏋🏻‍♀️🤝 ❤️‍🔥 🌍 🌱 📜 - Female Empowerment - Friendship and Solidarity - Sacrifice and Courage - The Impact of War - Identity and Growth - Historical Context

We were the lucky ones by Georgia Hunter📚⏳🌱🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒🪞💔🌟⚔️🍂 - Survival and Resilience - Family and Connection - Identity and Heritage - Sacrifice - Hope Amidst Despair - The Impact of War - Bittersweet Survival

A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire 📚 🦁 🪞 👀 🤝 🏛️ 🌱 🤔 - Courage and Fear - Identity and Self-Discovery - Perception vs. Reality - Friendship and Loyalty - Political Turmoil - Redemption and Growth - Philosophical Questions

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. - Totalitarianism - Gender Oppression - Fertility and Reproduction - Identity and Autonomy - Resistance and Rebellion - Memory and the Past - Power Dynamics - Hope and Despair - Too close to home

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell ⌛️📚🖼️ 💍❤️‍🩹 🇮🇹 - Identity and Autonomy - Marriage and Power - Art and Creativity - Gender Roles - Love and Betrayal - Family and Duty - Survival and Resilience - Historical Context

“When We Had Wings” 📚🇫🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👩‍⚕️ - Courage and Resilience - Friendship and Sisterhood - War and Trauma - Sacrifice and Duty - The Role of Women in War - Love and Loss - Hope and Healing

“What the Wind Knows” by Amy Harmon 📚🇮🇪❤️⏳ - Love and Sacrifice - Time and Memory - Identity and Belonging - War and Freedom - Fate vs. Choice

I love book themes of time, existence, and the complexities of life. I enjoy narratives that explore relationships, the impact of choices, and the idea of alternate realities or timelines. The Midnight Library The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue How to Stop Time Oona Out of Order

Taking a short break from Historical Fiction and dipping my toe into a little Women's Rage! 📚✨ #WomensRage #BookRecommendations #ReadersCommunity

This is what we all should remember.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. She has more courage than every single one of our politicians on both sides combined!!

I stand with those who emphasizes the importance of love, compassion, and justice. Thank you Bishop Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde for your leadership!