Hello! I’ve been blowing the dust off a lot of my virtual spaces lately it seems. Oh how I’ve missed my Seasonal Reads posts!

I started last Summer’s reading roundup post and I ended up not seeing it through to the end. And then, when I left my part-time daycare job at the end of November last year and started back at a full-time office position, survival and peace and holiday shenanigans were the priority. And then things just kept piling up and a Spring Reads post was the furthest from my mind.

But I still took the bookstack photos! And I’m glad I did because it’ll be fun to create this catch-all yearlong reading roundup, from June 2025 to May 2026.

Here we go!

Summer 2025 {June, July, and August}

Ahh, yes, this was the year of The Inheritance Cycle, another Stephen King Summer, and a fabulous bunch of Contemporary YA and Women’s Fiction with a dash of Cozy Mystery.

The Isa Project  is a Contemporary New Adult novel, which follows former best friends K and Lincoln as they reunite in the years following a best friend/sister’s death. It is a beautiful story that doesn’t shy away from traumatic events and healing and still hope shines through. If you’re interested in this at all, I’ll mail you my copy to borrow. Think of it as a traveling book.

Ruminating Daisies is the sequel to The Isa Project. It’s set when K and Lincoln are in their 30s. It’s a unique collection of stories one from K, Lincoln, and Isa herself all interwoven with a play from the playwright of the trio himself. I did get to beta-read this novel and it was a delight to see the author’s vision come together. I have read Contemporary Young Adult since high school (and still do to this day). So it’s always been a dream that there would be some characters from my favorite YA novels—to know what they’re doing in their 30s (my age!).

The Shining by Stephen King // I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. When we watched the movie for Stephen King Summer Club either last year or the year before, I was terrified. (Still, it’s better than It; less jump scares.) In the movie, I didn’t really care about any of the characters, but in the novel the mom had way more depth and I was rooting for her and her son to survive. Even up to a certain point, I was still hoping MC would be okay.

Riley + Sam is Ashley Schaller’s sophomore novel and it’s a Contemporary Young Adult novel. Kpop star Sammy Hong returns home for the summer and back into his best friend Riley’s life. It revolves around family, faith, young love. It’s a great summer read for sure!

I won Marigolds, Mischief, and Murder (A Camelot Flowers Mystery) through an Instagram giveway and it was a fun read! I’d definitely reread it and read the second book.

Eddie Winston is Looking for Love was a library splurge. I was there last summer for something else and found it looking at me from one of the shelves. It was also delightful!

Fall 2025 {September, October, and November}

Inheritance wrapped the official Inheritance Cycle series. Again, like Eldest and Brisingr, I remembered very little of the events in both novels. It truly was like reading the series for the first time. I enjoyed both!

Other People’s Kids is Kim Culbertson’s first novel in many years. She is one of my favorite Contemporary YA authors, and this novel is her first Contemporary Adult novels. It’s about three teachers—one who returns to her small-town mid-career, one who is on her way out, and one in the beginning of his career. It was hard and beautiful and real. Kim is a local author just one county over from me and a delightful human. I was so glad I made time to attend the book event last summer. I think many teachers will find something relatable in this novel.

The Goodness of Unicorns is the first in a duology, I believe, by indie author Kayla E. Green. It’s an adventurous Fantasy story about sisters and family, young love, a country on the brink of war. It’s great! I believe the sequel will be releasing later this year.

On the Edge of the Forgotten Sea is the first book in The Chronicles of Chaera series. It’s a Cozy YA, Portal Fantasy with fairytale vibes, political introgue, wholesome romance–it’s a fun read! The sequel comes out this November!

Everything We Never We Never Had follows three Filipinos from the same family. It was a library splurge and it was delightful.

Murtagh. I finally made it. The entire journey through Alagaësia was to have all of Eragon’s context to read about Murtagh. I wanted this book to be something I could read over and over again. I cannot. It will be awhile before I can read this again. Murtagh and Thorn have had such a hard life, and this isn’t an easy part of their life post-Galbatorix. It was a hard story. Necessary, and I’m so thankful Christopher Paolini wrote it, but a hard gritty story.

And then I ended fall with The Scorpio Races for my third reread, and it was delightful. I recently recommended it to a friend who doesn’t read many novels, but wanted something for fall. I’m looking forward to returning to Thisby this November. And I really want to make the November Cakes too! And I’m really hoping Ant reads it soon *fingers crossed*

Winter 2026 {December 2025, January and February 2026}

Dear Mouse Princess was a book I read because my niece (9 at the time) read it and loved it. I enjoyed it too! Azzie is 10.5 now and I’m so excited for all the books I loved at this age that she’ll be reading this school year.

Creating the Rules was written by my friend Ania Ray. When I joined my virtual writing community, Quill & Cup, I heard a lot about Anne’s story in pitch prickles and in general since that was the novel Ania was working on at the time, so Anne has a special place in my heart. Such a great novel!

Of course I read Bravely again (third time!). I stayed up late after ringing in 2026 with Ant, while house-sitting Mina (best friend dog) by the fireplace and the Christmas tree lights. Such a beautiful way to end 2025 and start 2026. I’m looking forward to reading this again in December!

I read The Hobbit for the first time in January! Ant and I watched the theatrical versions of Lord of the Rings on DVD before Thanksgiving. My friend Amber and I were trying to figure out what to read for 2026 and we landed on this novel and LOTR. And then that epic weekend mid-January when Ant and I got to see all three LOTR extended releases in theaters with friends really encouraged this choice. The Hobbit is delightful and funny! The movies are on my to-watch list; I know they’re different than the novel, but I’m looking forward to them.

“Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” by Stephen King. This is a fantastic short story. Once Ant reads it, we’ll watch the movie.

My friend Trinity and I read A Study of Shattered Spells for our second book club and we loved it! The sequel hasn’t been released yet (I checked recently!), but we’re looking forward to it.

Spring 2025 {March, April, and May}

All of March was spent reading The Fellowship of the Ring and I loved every minute of it.

And the I finally reread Pride and Prejudice for the first time since high school, I believe. It’s so funny! I’m a fan of both adaptions, the BBC one and the 2005 film.

Love, Sax, and All That Jazz is Amy Shaw’s debut Contemporary YA novel and it is amazing! The main characters are high school seniors, both in band, competing for the top spot of the year. It’s rivals to friends to more, and it’s such a fun story!

I’ve owned Homer’s Odyssey for years, and I’m so glad I finally read it. Homer is a delightful cat and I’m so thankful his owner decided to share his story with the world.

Through the Fire is a beautiful Science Fantasy short story by the lyrical storyteller Andrea Renae. It’s available through Kindle Unlimited and since this was the season I purchased myself a new Kindle (their low man on the totem pole, but I’m loving it!) it was a joy to read.  

And then I had the silly thought that I would dip my toes into the world of St. Crispian’s while I waited for Stephen King Summer to start. It was silly of me to think I could dip my toes in. I fell head over heels for the shenanigans of, well, everyone, and Emma’s humor.. I read Volumes 1-4 during Spring, which I could only get Volumes 2 and 3 in from the library in time for the above photo. You’ll hear more about Volumes 5-8 in the coming soon Summer 2026 Reads post.

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Since Fellowship and Pride and Prejudice, I’ve definitely been in a classic novel mood. I really want to reread Little Women, The Secret Garden, and The Little Princess. I have Emma THE YEAR ADAPTATION) on my to-watch list. I’m joining a Jane Eyre book club this September; I’ve never read it and am intrigued enough to give it a whirl.

Please feel free to share your favorite reads, whether recent or longtime favorites or discoveries in the last year or so. I’m so glad I did this. It was fun to be reminded of what I read and share them here. I’ll see you soon with the stack of books I read this summer!