My 2025 Q3 Reading List
2025 Book 28: Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
An absolutely fascinating historical fiction novel based on a true story of a teenage Italian boy during WWII. A real page-turner!
2025 Book 29: The Women by Kristin Hannah
The writing and story are somewhat basic and cliché but the historical elements about the women nurses who served in Vietnam are very eye-opening.
2025 Book 30: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
I am re-reading through the Chronicles of Narnia series for the first time in a few years. They are a must-read for everyone – young and old.
2025 Book 31: Daring Joy by Nicole Zasowski
It’s pretty evident that most of us are living without joy being present in our daily lives. This study truly has the power to transform our mindsets about joy and bring us to a place where we are living with more joy. I am highly critical of Bible studies, and this is one of the best ones I have ever done; I highly recommend it. Be prepared to be challenged and changed. I also highly recommend Nicole’s book, What If It’s Wonderful, which I read in 2022.
2025 Book 32: Self Made by Tara Isabella Burton
A phenomenal historical overview of personal identity and the ideologies of the last 500 years that have shaped our current social and cultural beliefs about who we are and how we can, and should, act in the world. If you have any interest in sociology, identity, or philosophy, you will be fascinated by this book.
2025 Book 33: Faithful Feelings by Matthew A. Elliott
“Emotions are a faithful reflection of what we believe and value. The Bible does not treat them as forces to be controlled or channeled toward the right things, but as an integral part of who we are as people created in God’s image.”
An academic exposition of emotion: what it is, what it’s not, how it is portrayed throughout history, and how it is defined and portrayed in the Bible. I learned a lot from this deep dive, and particularly appreciated the sections on grief, sorrow, and anger.
2025 Book 34: March by Geraldine Brooks
Since I *mostly* liked her writing style in Horse, that I read earlier this year, I thought I would try her Pulitzer Prize winning novel that tells the story of Mr. March, beloved father of Alcott’s ‘little women’. It was an interesting story, but his character was overdone and didn’t seem entirely believable for the 1860s. It’s worth having on your list to read but doesn’t need to be near the top.
2025 Book 35: You Are Not Enough (and That’s Okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey
While I appreciate, and agree with many of the messages given, her approach is filled with shame and is significantly lacking grace. Given her personal experiences and her stated beliefs, I expected thoughtfulness and kindness, but they are absent. Additionally, it is clear that the publisher was pushing for shock value and to just get it published because the quality of writing and editing is not great (contradictions and logical fallacies throughout). Book 18 from my Q2 reading list, touches on similar messages and themes, as does book 43 from my 2022 reading list – I highly recommend either of them instead of this one.
2025 Book 36: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
While a much better story than book 29, her writing style and stories are simply too generic, basic, and cliché. If you like WWII historical fiction, you will enjoy this story, but I recommend book 28 above instead, or my favorite WWII historical fiction, All the Light We Cannot See.
2025 Book 37: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
A curious little tale that I’ve been wanting to read because Ted Lasso gives it to Roy Kent to read as a means of developing Roy’s leadership skills. It is an imaginative story that I will give to, and read with, my nieces and nephews.
You can always find my reading lists from previous years here.
