⭐️ Breadth + Beauty: A Year-Long Reading Invitation for 2026

Want to Read Widely But Don't Know Where to Start?

For years, I've believed that reading widely is one of the most transformative things we can do as humans and as home educators. When we encounter different worlds and ideas, we become more thoughtful, more curious, and we're better equipped to lead our children.

We have SO MANY guides telling us what to read aloud to our children. Yet when it comes to our own reading journey, we're often left wondering where to start.

So I created a little something for you: Breadth + Beauty: A Year-Long Reading Invitation.

A guide designed specifically for you to kickstart 2026. It's my way to cordially invite you into some exciting genres you've maybe never explored.

To remind you that your reading matters too.

What's Inside:

• A 40-page 2026 Reading Challenge Guide (12 Genres, 12 Months)

• Over 50 personal, curated book recommendations across 12 diverse genres (from literary fiction and philosophy to mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, and faith)

• Detailed book descriptions for every title to help you discover the perfect fit for each month

• Bible Verse connections for each genre to journal on as you read

• Genre introductions that set the tone and invite you deeper as you explore each one

• No pressure, no rules—simply enjoy expanding your reading in 2026

The 12 Genres You'll Explore

January: Literary & Contemporary Fiction
February: Greek & Roman Philosophy
March: Historical Fiction
April: Memoir & Biography
May: Adventure & Survival Stories
June: Nonfiction (Narrative, History, Science)
July: Mystery & Suspense
August: Young Adult
September: Science Fiction
October: Fantasy & Cozy Fantasy
November: Faith-Based Nonfiction
December: Seasonal / Advent / Devotional

Think of this guide as your reading friend, not your reading boss. My recommendations are here to inspire, but your journey is completely your own. Follow my suggestions or forge your own path—both are beautiful and worth exploring.

I generally read over 100 books each year, and I try to pick up different genres each month to help grow in my faith, grow in wisdom, and enjoy my reading life. This guide is my way of sharing that journey with you.

A Note About Content

I've done my best to curate recommendations that are clean and appropriate for Christian homeschool families. However, I want to be transparent: a few of these books contain mild adult themes or occasional language that some readers may prefer to avoid. Nothing graphic or gratuitous, but content worth being aware of. Every book reflects something beautiful or meaningful, but I encourage you to read reviews on Goodreads if you have specific content concerns. Your comfort and convictions matter.

Making an Impact Together

50% of the proceeds from this guide go to sponsoring children in poverty through Compassion International. When you invest in your reading journey, you're also investing in theirs.

Let’s read WIDELY together in 2026!

Reading Roundup 📘 [Personal + Homeschool Books]

Hey fellow book-loving friends!

I know, I know. This post is embarrassingly overdue. Between moving across the state of Florida and our epic trips back up to the Pacific Northwest (including spending ample time with my sister and 1-year-old niece while my husband and son went fishing in Alaska!), and spending time in Georgia, summer flew by in a blur of boxes, cross-country trips, and absolutely zero routine.

But now that we're finally settling into those cozy autumn rhythms that make our hearts happy (even if the Florida weather hasn't gotten the memo about "fall" yet!), I'm feeling that familiar pull to reconnect over books.

You know how it is, I only post these when inspiration strikes rather than forcing it, because honestly, homeschooling (and parenting in general) and Simple Studies keeps me busy enough without adding pressure to my reading life.

But there's something about this time of year that makes me want to curl up with a good book and share what I've been reading with people who actually get excited about book recommendations.

So here's what's been filling my reading time:

books I read over the summer:

The Messy Lives of Book People ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Pearl by John Steinbeck ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Midnight Bookshop (Read for free on Kindle Unlimited) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dance of Lies (Pleased to find out this Illumicrate featured book’s author is Christian) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Broken Country (Listened to the Audible version) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (content warnings) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession and Shipwreck ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Convenience Store Woman ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Breath of a Dragon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unwind (YA sci-fi) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Violent Bear It Away (Recommended by The Literary Life Podcast) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ice Queen ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blues in Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Anne of Green Gables ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lantern of Lost Memories ⭐️⭐️⭐️

And just for fun, I’ve been enjoying Carnivore in the Kitchen and The New Essentials Cookbook.

books I'm reading right now:

📙 The Iliad (with my daughter)

📙 The Hobbit (Our current morning circle read aloud) 

📙 The Hidden Peace: Finding True Security, Strength and Confidence Through Humility

📙 Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (I’m attending my first local, in-person book club this weekend as we read this book and can’t wait to discuss this historical fiction book. It’s SO good!)

📙 The Scarlet Letter

📙 Robert Frost: Selected Poems

📙 Strong: Devotions to Live a Powerful and Passionate Life 

📙 The Inheritance Games (YA read that’s sat on my TBR for years)

📙 When We Were Animals (Coming of age story - content warnings)

📙 The Raven Scholar (Chunky book I received as a gift and so really enjoying it!)

📙 Story of the Romans (Ancient history pre-read for my daughter)

📙 The Story of the Thirteen Colonies by H.A. Guerber (American history with my daughter)

📙 Our Island Story (Our European/world history spine this term)

📙 Grimms Fairy Tales (sporadic read-alouds when we have some down time)

📙 Marvels of the Occident (Second-time read this time with our youngest)

📙 Marie Curie and the Discovery of Radium (science biography with daughter)

I’d also like to thank Julie Rothman for sending us her brand new Insect Anatomy book and Nature Anatomy Posters (which you can pre-order today)! We LOVE LOVE LOVE her Nature Anatomy series and our daughter loves to keep them all handy for her nature journaling expeditions.

What Will We Read Next?

I'm very much a mood reader, so who knows what I'll pick up next. That's half the fun, right? But I’ll be sure to update you later this fall.

Regarding our homeschool reads, we’re only halfway through Term 1 so I’ll be planning Term 2 books soon and hopefully sharing that with you as well.

I hope you're all finding your groove with the new school year and carving out some time for the books that are calling to you!

You can still grab my FREE 2025 Reading Challenge here!

☀️ Summer Reading Challenge, Book Ratings + US Travels

Our summer travels have officially begun! We visited Universal Studies Florida and the new Epic Universe last week and as I type this, I'm sitting north of Atlanta, Georgia, watching our daughter kayak the Chattahoochee River. 🚣🏼‍♀️ She's having the time of her life out there, and honestly? I'm a little jealous! Though I can't complain because I managed to sneak in a gorgeous hike earlier today.

I attended Mississippi State University and have traveled plenty throughout the South over the years, but somehow I'd forgotten just how much Georgia reminds me of Oregon. The rolling hills and the lush foliage. It's striking how similar they feel despite being thousands of miles apart. (However, it’s definitely warmer and muggier here!) 😅

But you’re not here to talk travels. You’re here for the BOOKS!

Here are the books I've been reading lately, plus some new finds from visiting local bookshops around Atlanta.

Over the past couple of months, I've been devouring books at a pace that even surprises me.

There's something about summer that makes me want to read everything I can get my hands on. But I’ve also noticed that I tend to jump into a lot of YA reads I can devour within a sitting or two.

Today I'm excited to share (in no particular order & with ratings when applicable):

The Eye of the World ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Violent Bear It Away (Catching up on my classics!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out of the Silent Planet (CS Lewis space trilogy pre-read for our son’s summer scholé class) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Screwtape Letters (another read with my son for summer studies) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunrise on the Reaping (Flew through this and am now excited to read the entire series!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Next Breath (biography of the month) 

Hillbilly Elegy (last month’s biography) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Wind in the Willows (finished this RA with my daughter last week) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Uwind and Dry (YA Reads since I enjoyed Scythe) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Faith That Sticks: 5 Real-Life Ways to Disciple Your Preteen

Breath of a Dragon (Bruce Lee’s daughter writes epic MMA fight scenes - yes THAT Bruce Lee!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Night Circus (Audiobook narrated by Jim Dale! For those of you who’ve listened to Harry Potter with your kids… IYKYK) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heartwood (Audiobook) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Apartment Women & Convenience Store Woman (I’m a sucker for short translations!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Radical: Taking Back your Faith from the American Dream ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Invisible Hour ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Gifted School ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Sirens ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flirting with Disaster: True Travel Tales of Fear, Failure, and Faith ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Metal Slinger ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Belladonna ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bear ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beartown 

The Georgia Aquarium was INCREDIBLE! Thanks to those of you who recommended we visit!

We spent four days at Epic Universe, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure… my head is still spinning from all the rides! (The Harry Potter worlds were my favorite parts!)

Thank you for journeying through books and the US with us… it’s a pleasure not only to read alongside many of you but to also hear what YOU’RE loving too!