Then I pray to you, O LORD.
I say, “You are my place of refuge.
You are all I really want in life.
~Psalm 142:5, NLT ♥️🌿
Refuge ♥️🌿 {Day 55}
Category: Summer
Six in Six 🌸📚☕️ {Day 54}
I’ve enjoyed Jessica’s blog for awhile now and I saw she was joining in a bookish blog hop about our 2026 reading! I used to blog hop a lot and really enjoyed linking up with others over a common topic. 😍 I’m joining her at Words & Peace for this reading meme reflecting about your first six months of reading.
Instructions from Emma at Words & Peace:
In 2021, Jo at The Book Jotter started hosting the meme Six in Six.
She stopped blogging in 2025, so I have decided to host it myself.What is 6 in 6?
The idea is to look back at the books you have read so far in the six months of this year.
Now, I love plays with numbers, so I’m extending this meme:
you can post any time in July, or as early as 6/6, June 6th.What do you post?
Choose 6 books in 6 categories.
You can come up with your own category, or choose among the following examples (copied from Jo’s blog):
- Six new authors to me
- Six authors I have read before
- Six authors I am looking forward to reading more of
- Six books I have enjoyed the most
- Six books I was disappointed with
- Six series of books read or started
- Six authors I read last year – but not so far this year
- Six books that took me on extraordinary journeys
- Six books that took me by the hand and led me into the past
- Six books from the past that drew me back there
- Six books from authors I know will never let me down
- Six books I must mention that don’t fit nicely into any category
- Six books I started in the first six months of the year and was still caught up with in July
- Six trips to Europe
- Six blogging events I enjoyed
- Six bookish things I’m looking forward to
- Six Espionage or Historical Novels I enjoyed
- Six Cool Classics
- Six Non-US/Non-British Authors
- Six From the Non-Fiction Shelf
- Six books that didn’t live up to expectations
- Six books that I had one or two problems with but am still glad I tried
- Six books that are related to The Great War or Second World War
- Six bookshops I have visited
- Six books I’ve read in an English translation
- Six books which are better than the film
- Six books which are worse than the film
- Six books that have sport as their major theme
- Six favourite places to read
- Six books read on kindle and then went and bought an actual copy
- Six books I abandoned
- Six classics I have read
- Six books I have read on my Kindle
- Six physical books I have read
- Six book covers I love
- Six book covers that bear no resemblance to the story contained within
- Six books to read to avoid politics
- Six books I have read but not reviewed
- Six books I have read in lockdown
- Six classic mysteries
- Six books about Royalty
- Six pretty book covers
- Six books set in a country other than my own
- Six books that feature a Pandemic
- Six books that are great when self-isolating
- Six books recently added to my wish list
- Six mysteries, thrillers or crime novels NOT by Agatha Christie
- Six books with titles connected to rivers, seas and storms
- Six nature related books
- Six books about Librarians and Libraries
- Six books I really want to buy in the next six months
- Six books that feature a building in the title
My categories I’ve chosen to share about are:
- Six favorite genres so far
- Six favorite reads so far in 2026
- Six favorite Booktube Readathons
- Six New-to-Me Authors
- Six Mysteries I loved
- Six Books I Read from My Shelf
My Six Favorite Genres: (many are a mixture of these below! I’m such an eclectic reader!)
- Fairytale/Classic Retellings
- Fantasy
- Historical Fiction
- Mystery
- Young Adult
- Middle Grade
My Six Favorite Reads so far 2026 (so hard to choose!)
- The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco (beautiful, heartwarming Middle Grade)
- The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas (gorgeous, Biblical Historical Fiction)
- The Will of Many by James Islington (wonderful epic Historical Fantasy)
- Through Rushing Waters by Catherine Richmond (Heartbreaking Historical Fiction)
- Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery (beautifully written classic)
- Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw (classic fantasy story of an underdog!)
My Six Favorite Booktube Readathons So Far this Year: (You can still join these! I don’t follow the monthly prompts, I just fill them in as I go!)
- Jurassic Reading Challenge
- Read Your Bookshelf Challenge
- Journey Through Time Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
- Passport to Summer Reading
- Summertime Bingo
- Summer Book Bingo
Six New-to-Me Authors
- Carrie Cotten, Christian Fantasy, The Huntress
- Derin R. Hicks, Middle Grade, Shakespeare Mystery Duo-logy
- Kate Stradling, Cozy Fantasy, Deathmark
- Sheri Cobb South, Regency Romance, The Weaver Takes a Wife
- Lloyd C. Douglas, Biblical Historical Fiction, The Robe
- Michael Perry, Memoir, Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time
Six Mysteries I have enjoyed :
- Death in a Strange Country (and Quietly In Their Sleep) by Donna Leon (Commisario Brunetti Series)
- For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black (cozy mystery)
- Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills (Romantic Suspense Mystery Thriller)
- Alex Rider: Scorpio (and Snakehead) by Anthony Horowitz (mystery/spy thriller series)
- Dead in the Water by Denise Swanson (small town mystery)
- Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave (and sequel Tower of Five Orders) by Deron R. Hicks (Middle Grade)
Six Books I actually Read from My Own Shelf (Physical/Kindle Shelf):
- Caddie Woodlawn (reread) by Carol Ryrie Brink (Middle Grade Historical Fiction)
- Fatal Fudge Swirl by Meri Allen (Cozy Mystery)
- This is Happiness by Niall Williams (hauntingly beautiful Historical Fiction)
- The Road Past Altamont by Gabrielle Roy (beautiful book in translation about Mother/Daughter relationships)
- Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg (charming reimagining of Disney’s Frozen, YA Fantasy)
- Persuasion (reread) by Jane Austen (Regency)
How has your reading year been so far? 📚📖
Wonderful words from web for wandering through … {Day 53}
Kernel {Day 52}
Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels-a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.
John 12:23-25, NLT
Prayer for tonight…Jesus is our True Example. 🙏🏻♥️🌿
Wednesday Wonders 🌸🌺🌼 {Day 51}
listening to ♥️🌿 ~
I’m taking a Booktube watching break/Instagram break and a few days in, it’s already been nice. I’ve mostly been listening to the birds on my deck early in the morning. Starlings are loud and strange sounding birds. 🤣 Recently, I got to hear two owls (Barred?) chattering because I went out there at 4:00 am. I did get in the Agatha Christie audiobook of Dumb Witness, Poirot and Hastings make me laugh! 😂 I also got the audiobook Ruby Holler in, but we’ll see if I get to it. I decided to soft quit Calculated, my last audiobook, because I have to be in the right mood for revenge stories. I do like the main female character, though, and setting, so I will probably finish it.
Watching ♥️🌿~ my hubby, three younger kids, and I traveled to see the biggest steam train recently. It was used during WWII to haul big loads over Utah mountains?! We had a fun Tookish adventure together! 😅♥️ I read almost a whole book there and back! 😂 Otherwise, I haven’t been watching much? I hope to watch the movie ‘Summer of Monkeys’ with my kids as we are almost finished with the book. 🥰♥️
Reading ♥️🌿~ I talk nonstop here 😂😏 about my reading, but I’m currently most enjoying The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane, What you are looking for is in the library, and The Bride of Fallen Stars is intriguing me on my Kindle.
Noticing ♥️🌿~ I’m mostly noticing flowers, trees, and seedlings. 🌱 🥰 It’s a wonderful time of year!
What are you listening to, watching, reading, noticing? ♥️🌿~
May Reading Journal 📖📓 {Day 50}
My cat May decorations ended up being fun!🤩
Reading and journaling bring me so much joy 🥹 so the marriage of the two is a double dose! I don’t really plan, but just go with whatever is inspiring me in my sticker/washi stash. I had a kind of slow start to my reading in the beginning of May, my reading mood was changing, had some meh/ok-ish reads at the start. I pretty much hated Date with Danger! 🤣 The end of the month reading though was amazing! I loved all the Middle Grade reads for a small readathon on Booktube called Middle Grade May! Especially, Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave and its sequel, Tower of the Five Orders by Deron R. Hicks. I really enjoyed the Christian historical light fantasy, The Huntress, also. Honorable mention goes to The Little House in the Highlands which is based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s ancestors. It was a slow start but SO cute! I made some good progress on my newest bingo boards I printed off from Pinterest, also. Georgette Heyer is hit or miss for me, but I loved two of her Regency romances, Arabella and Sylvester. Overall, a great reading month.
What are you reading or creating? 😍♥️
Monday Ponderings ~ Happy June~ 🌲🌿🌱🍃 {Day 49}
Starting a bit of a June challenge for myself! June is my birthday month so I want to gift myself health, beauty, relationships, and simple routines. I’m putting this here for additional accountability and encouragement! It’s never too late to start again.
♥️🌲🌿🌱🍃♥️
Preparation {Day 48} 🌸
Every day is a preparation for death. By realizing this, it helps somehow, because we each have to die a little each day. Death is nothing except going back to Him, where He is and where we belong. ♥️
~ Mother Teresa, Do Something Beautiful for God
Finishing & Anticipating Reads 📚{Day 47}
Now that summer is close at hand, my TBR stacks are exploding!
Here is what I’m currently finishing on my Kindle ‘stack’! My reading mood is pretty light as we have a heavy, busier season with remodeling:
I think my mood? is still a bit on the lighter side but shifting to historical fiction, especially American Revolution possibilities to honor the 250th birthday this year.
Lighter maybes on my stack!
A few historical fiction I’d like to try!
There’s a lot more in my stack, but these are catching my eye! Are you a mood reader or make a list and stick to it reader? Do you read more than one book at a time?
Happy Saturday! ❤️🌻
Magnanimous Monday || Check -In, Part 2 ~ 🌞 End of Summer
Dear Friends ~
I’m sure you feel like me, scrambling to soak the last few rays of sunshine and squeeze out all the remaining summer juiciness. Autumn activities are fast approaching {just 18 days till our homeschool co op begins…eeek!} so I thought I’d attempt to finish my thoughts I started weeks ago 😆 and in Part 1 of this post. I love the chatty bits of social media, the longer form things, that slow me to a snail’s pace so I can reflect and practice gratitude. This has got me seriously considering my online haunts and which are serving and encouraging me or stressing me?! Still considering that.
We squeezed in a last few summer-y things and hosted my 3rd homeschool graduates party in the last few weeks. Whew. I’m thankful for a few weeks of quiet {ish} home time to spruce things up and finalize my homeschool plans. Just off the top of my head, here are a few things I’m focusing on, looking forward to, and challenging myself in for these next few weeks…
Home Education Inspiration ~ Jen over at heavenstobetty had a wonderful, inspiring post about her DIY Mother Summer Conference. I was particularly inspired by her vision board. I collaged one for myself while listening to my audiobook of Physik by Angie Sage. I’m focusing on seasonal rhythms, simplicity, home, books, and 1 Thess. 4:11. I’m praying and meditating on the direction, images, hopes for this coming school year. Asking the Lord for a humble heart stayed on Him. ♥️
Habit Cultivation ~ I’m working on really cementing some habits that I worked on this summer, little things that add up with my home, health, and my heart…
Walking after my prayer time, cleaning up after each meal as much as I can, and taking extended breaks from media…
Faithfulness to the Small ~ The Lord is faithful to take our pitiful offerings and steps of obedience, blessing us with growth, direction, and His loving Presence. 🌿 There’s a lot swirling in my heart and mind, but I’m still prayerfully trying to trust that the Lord is untangling all my knots. I’m hoping to finish cleaning a few things, finish my lessons for our co op, and drink in all the beauty right around me each day. I hoping to resurrect my fledgling poetry writing. So thankful for all the summer bounty, the hard, the beautiful, tangible and intangible, alike.
What a bountiful, beautiful summer ~ Till next time, bless you, friends!
Amy🌲♥️
Marvelous Monday🌻 || Reading and Beauty Chasing ~Life Check-In, Part 1
Happy Monday, friends. Thought I would do a late-ish mid-year check in of sorts. It’s always helpful for me to reflect on a few areas in my life periodically. This is a part 1, probably…stay tuned for more. 🍄
Reading…💜
Best book(s), so far:
-Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter (our perspective in life/living a life of gratitude)
– So Big by Edna Ferber (day of small things/ our perspective in life)
– Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell (gorgeous & lush/disturbing & sobering)
– A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz (sweet & atmospheric/ Persuasion-like)
– Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (convicting character under microscope- reread)
Fanny spoke her feelings. ‘Here’s harmony! said she, ‘Here’s repose! Here’s what may leave all painting and all music behind, and what poetry only can attempt to describe. Here’s what may tranquilllise every care, and lift every heart to rapture! When I look out on such a night as this, I feel as if there could be neither wickedness nor sorrow in the world; and there certainly would be less of both if the sublimity of Nature were more attended to, and people were carried more out of themselves by contemplating such a scene.’
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Best Sequel(s), so far:
– Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder (family survival at its finest- Pa Ingalls shines)
–Henrietta’s House by Elizabeth Goudge (not quite finished, but completely charming story featuring characters from A City of Bells)
– Books 4-9 in White House Chef Mysteries (very unique setting and amateur sleuth)
– reread of The Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling (audiobook was fantastic- I love young Harry, Ron, and Hermione)
Anticipated New Release I’m Excited About:
Laura Frantz – A Fierce Devotion (Historical Fiction)
Joanna Ruth Meyer – While Darkness Remains (Fantasy)
Emily Hayse – The Dogs of War (Science Fiction)
New-to-Me Authors I want to Read More From:
Edna Ferber (Modern American classics), Brittany Fichter (Fantasy, Fairy-Tale retellings) and Chris Wooding (Fantasy)
A few reading goals beginning in August will be reading from my shelves/piles/Kindle hoard here. Less public library! I want to focus on finishing my mother schooling choices that I’ve been reading this summer.
How about you? How has your reading been so far…I’ll chat more soon on reading. My favorite hobby!
Beauty Chasing…
-walks down our nearby gravel lane
– collaging & writing for small, independent letter/zine
– keeping up regularly on my journals
– planning a state park visit/picnic, late family cherry 🍒 picking trip, bonfires, and thinking on thoughtful Christmas gift plans
-container gardening
What have you loved reading and chasing so far this year? 🩷🌸🪴
What’s bringing me joy lately… {Day 24}
I could go on! God’s gifts are never-ending. How about you? Anything bringing you joy recently?
🍂♥️📬🎃📚🌿💌🌅💕🍁🕸️🕷️
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 