Category: Books and Shows

Posted in Books and Shows

December Books & Top 5 books for 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Tuesday.

I’m already starting to panic…this week needs to slow down.

That being said, today, I’m sharing one of my favorite posts that I write every year…

I had a pretty good year of reading and my love for audiobooks grew, giving me a few more opportunities to complete books.

December Books:

December reading is always festive and fun..

This month I read:

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Blue Christmas:

Summary:

The popular Mary Kay Andrews delivers a tasty holiday treat as she brings back the winning characters from Savannah Blues and Savannah Breeze for a little Southern cheer.

It’s the week before Christmas, and antiques dealer Weezie Foley is in a frenzy to do up her shop for the Savannah historical district window decorating contest–which she intends to win. She throws herself into putting up a Graceland/Blue Christmas motif, with lots of tinsel, an aluminum tree, and all kinds of tacky retro stuff. The project takes up so much time that Weezie is ready to shoot herself with her glue gun by the time she’s done, but the results are stunning. She’s sure she’s one–upped the owners of the trendy shop around the corner. But suddenly, things go missing from Weezie’s display, and there seems to be a mysterious midnight visitor to her shop. Still, Weezie has high hopes for the holiday–maybe in the form of an engagement ring from her chef boyfriend. But Daniel, always moody at the holidays, seems more distant than usual. Throw in Weezie’s decidedly odd family, a 1950s Christmas tree pin, and even a little help from the King himself, and maybe there will be a pocketful of miracles for Weezie this Christmas Eve.

Quick Thoughts:

I listened to this one, and I really liked the narrator. I didn’t realize this was a series until after I finished listening. Anyway, this was a quick read with lots of festivity and a bit of mystery. Now, I want to read the other books in the series.

Rating:

Christmas with the Queen:

Summary:

December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue in the tradition of her late father and grandfather’s beloved Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must move with the times, and the Queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change. 

As preparations begin for the royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, two old friends—Jack Devereux and Olive Carter—find themselves reunited for the festivities. A single mother, typist at the BBC, and aspiring reporter, Olive leaps at the opportunity to cover the holiday celebration, despite self-doubts. When a chance encounter with the Queen presents an exciting opportunity, Olive begins to believe her luck might change. 

Jack, a grief-stricken widowed chef originally from New Orleans, accepts a last-minute chance to cook in the royal kitchens at Sandringham. When he bumps into a long-lost friend, an old spark is reignited.

Despite personal and professional heartache, Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmas seasons and they find themselves growing ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret. 

Christmas Day, December 1957. As the nation eagerly awaits the Queen’s first televised Christmas speech, Olive decides to reveal the shocking truth of her secret, which threatens to tear her and Jack apart forever. Unless Christmas has one last gift to deliver…

Quick Thoughts:

As you know, I love reading historical fiction, and that genre including the Queen and Christmastime, well, I’m hooked!

I loved every page of this book. Goodreads says, “Tis the season! The Crown meets When Harry Met Sally and Bridget Jones’s Diary, in the latest heartwarming historical novel from Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb…”

…and that’s a perfect little description. While, I love the royalty piece, the Queen actually wasn’t a main character at all, but she was still a key element to the story.

Rating:

A Seagrove Christmas:

Summary:

It’s time for Christmas in Seagrove!

Are you ready to catch up with your favorite characters on the tiny lowcountry island of Seagrove, SC?

When we last left off, there was a big wedding and an addition to the family. But, what happens when a new resident moves to town and shakes things up?

And what will everyone do when a familiar face shows up and creates chaos during the holidays?

Quick Thoughts:

This book was just ok…I found it because I was searching for audiobooks in the Libby app. I didn’t love the narrator, but since it was a quick read, I stuck with it.

There was a little twist at the end and that was about the only saving grace!

Rating:

Secret Christmas Library:

Summary:

Mirren Sutherland stumbled into a career as an antiquarian book hunter after finding a priceless antique book in her great aunt’s attic. Now, as Christmas approaches, she’s been hired by Jamie McPherson, the surprisingly young and handsome laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle. Family lore suggests that the McPherson family’s collection includes a rare book so valuable that it could save the entire estate—if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home.

But on the train to the Highlands, Mirren runs into rival book hunter Theo Palliser, and instantly knows that it’s not a chance meeting. She’s all too familiar with Theo’s good looks and smooth talk, and his uncanny ability to appear whenever there’s a treasure that needs locating.

Almost as soon as Mirren and Theo arrive at the castle, a deep snow blankets the Highlands, cutting off the outside world. Stuck inside, the three of them plot their search as the wind whistles outside. Mirren knows that Jamie’s grandfather, the castle’s most recent laird, had been a book collector, a hoarder, and a great lover of treasure hunts. Now they must unpuzzle his clues, discovering the secrets of the house—forming and breaking alliances in a race against time.

Quick Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book! It was not very Christmasy, but I liked all the characters, and thought they were a fun crew. There was mystery and romance. At times, I felt like I was reading the Scottish version of The Goonies. That being said, I don’t really think the title applies to the plot…and even at the end, I went back and re-read the first few chapters thinking I missed something.

If you’ve read this book, let me know your thoughts! I must have been reading too quickly.

Rating:

Recap of 2025 books:

As with past years, I had a goal of reading 40 books, and I guess I fell one short of that goal…although Goodreads thinks otherwise.

Goodreads has me all kinds of confused. After I read my 40th book, I got the congratulations message…

But then some stats on the app, said I read 38 books. Maybe everything wasn’t synced up after I read my last books…that being said, when I counted my books on this post, there are 39… and the photos in the app, it appears I read 38 books. I do think I read one in January that I started last December. This is making my “type A” self crazy…haha …but no matter what, I was able to read more books than last year (35), and it was a better year of reading, for sure.

I did check the app and it seems a couple of books were counted twice, which I’m just now realizing. Anyway…

Here are the 39 that I books I read in 2025…

When looking at this list, there were a few books I didn’t even remember that I read this year! Also, as you probably know, historical fiction is my fave, so I have quite a few books in that genre. I also really like suspense/mystery, but apparently I didn’t read as many of those this year. I’d love some book recommendations for that genre…maybe I can branch out in 2026.

I love seeing the Goodreads stats on the app…

  • 39 books read
  • 12,837 pages read
  • The shortest book I read was Blue Christmas with 194 pages
  • The longest book I read was Lilac Girls with 497 pages
  • Average book length in 2025 was 337 pages.

…then I also received an email with a few more facts…including this graphic which isn’t really accurate because, for example, I read four books in January and December…not three!

  • Over 12,000 pages read — which means I read enough pages to go up, down, and all around the Eiffel Tower, with pages to spare.
  • My top genres for 2025 were: romance, memoir & biography, and historical fiction
  • I finished five of the most read books on Goodreads this year: The Academy, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, One Golden Summer, From Here to the Great Unknown, and The Night We Lost Him.
  • I (supposedly) completed my 40 book reading goal.

I read in lots of places this year:

Book trackers:

I also continued making book trackers this year which were fun to share on Instagram. (They are saved in monthly highlights on my Insta)

The books I read this year:

January

  • Lilac Girls
  • The Stories We Tell
  • One Big Happy Family
  • The Match

February

  • Far Beyond Gold
  • The House Party
  • From Here to the Great Unknown
  • Hooked

March

  • Brooke Shields is not Allowed to Get Old
  • The Underground Library
  • The Night We Lost Him

April

  • A Happier Life
  • The Sicilian Inheritance
  • A Good Girl’s Guide
  • Let’s Call Her Barbie

May

  • I’ll Have What She’s Having
  • Greenwich Park

June

  • Bad Summer People
  • All the Summers in Between
  • One Golden Summer

July

  • Maine Characters
  • The Comeback Summer
  • Beach House Rules

August

  • Seven Summers
  • Dolly Parton: Behind the Seams
  • Parents Weekend

September

  • Big Dumb Eyes
  • The Stranger in the Life Boat

October

  • Paris is Always a Good Idea
  • Confessions of a Grammar Queen
  • The Academy

November

  • My Life with the Walter Boys
  • Mean Moms
  • Horse
  • The Christmas Cookie Wars

December

  • Blue Christmas
  • Christmas with the Queen
  • A Seagrove Christmas
  • The Secret Christmas Library

Honorable Mention:

Before I share my five fave books from 2025, these deserve honorable mention:

In the order that I read them:

  • Lilac Girls
  • From here to the Great Unknown
  • A Happier Life
  • All the Summers in Between

Top Five Books in 2025:

Here are my top 5 reads in 2025:

The Underground Library:

I loved that the story was told from the perspective of three different women…and I had some fave quotes that stuck with me too.

Confessions of a Grammar Queen:

I read this book thanks to Sarah’s recommendation…and it was great!

Let’s Call Her Barbie:

I can thank Sarah for this one as well…and it was another audiobook that I listened to this year. I think I would have loved it anyway, but I really enjoyed the narrator as well as the mix of historical fiction, romance, and girl power.

Christmas with the Queen:

Typically when I read holiday books in December, I’m not expecting one of the books to be a top contender, but this one was such a favorite of mine.

Horse:

Why did I wait so long to read this book? My Gma recommended it a couple of years ago, and I finally got to reading it in November. It has a little bit of everything, and I loved it so much. Gma knows best!

Previous Top 5 Books:

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019

Happy reading, y’all!

Posted in Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: November 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I’m a bit late doing so, but today I’m sharing the books I read in November. Yesterday, I was able to find a few minutes to read during my SNOW DAY! Can you believe it?! In all my years teaching, I don’t think I’ve ever had a snow day in December. We only got a couple of inches, and the roads were fine by 9am or so, but I guess it was one of those days where it was snowing at just the right time for them to call off school.

Anyway, November was a decent month of reading for me.

This month, I read two books and listened to two books. Discovering audio books really has upped my reading opportunities lately.

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Starting with the two audio books…

My Life with the Walter Boys:

Summary:

Jackie does not like surprises. Chaos is the enemy! The best way to get her successful, busy parents to notice her is to be perfect. The perfect look, the perfect grades-the perfect daughter. And then…

Surprise #1: Jackie’s family dies in a freak car accident.

Surprise #2: Jackie has to move cross-country to live with the Walters-her new guardians.

Surprise #3: The Walters have twelve sons. (Well, eleven, but Parker acts like a boy anyway)

Now Jackie must trade in her Type A personality and New York City apartment for a Colorado ranch and all the wild Walter boys who come with it. Jackie is surrounded by the enemy-loud, dirty, annoying boys who have no concept of personal space. Okay, several of the oldest guys are flat-out gorgeous. But still annoying. She’s not stuck-up or boring-no matter what they say. But proving it is another matter. How can she fit in and move on when she needs to keep her parents’ memory alive by living up to the promise of perfect?

Quick Thoughts:

I stumbled upon this book while searching the Libby app for books that were currently available and had high ratings. I guess this is book one of two, and it’s a young adult book…and it certainly read that way.

The premise of the book was sad, but it obviously set the foundation for the plot. That being said, I thought it was odd that Jackie would go live out of state with people she didn’t know. Also, she was in boarding school, so I kept wondering why she didn’t just stay in boarding school? Honestly, I didn’t like how the boys treated her when she arrived…honestly, some comments from them were sexual harassment. As Jackie settled in with the family, some of the boys weren’t nice at all. Obviously, there was more to the plot, but I just had a few sticking points while reading.

Rating:

For a YA reader, this would probably be scored higher, but for me, it’s three stars.

Mean Moms:

Summary:

Meet Frost, Morgan, and Nell—a wealthy, gorgeous group of New York City moms, the queen bees of downtown Manhattan. Their children attend Atherton Seminary, the top private school in the city, and their social lives revolve around elaborate themed parties.

On the first day of school, the arrival of a new mom and mysterious beauty from Miami named Sofia shakes up their world. When Sofia quickly integrates herself into their clique, inexplicably bad things start to happen to the women. Frost is the victim of a hit-and-run electric scooter incident. Nell’s dream of launching a fashion line is thwarted when the clothing samples cause people to break out in a rash. Morgan’s new sound bath spa is robbed at gunpoint by a moped-driving thief. Morgan declares it all a “negative event cluster,” but the other women aren’t so sure.

Is someone at school out to get them? Another mom with a vendetta? Let’s not forget to mention the handsome headmaster, Dr. Broker, who every mom has a crush on (and one of them might be sleeping with).

Quick Thoughts:

Mean Moms seems to be a popular book, and I was on the library wait list for a bit before it was my turn to listen to it. Overall, it reminded me a little bit of Real Housewives of New York! The main characters weren’t super likable, and there were quite a few minor characters to keep up with. I liked the drama of it all and there were some suspenseful moments. I enjoyed the last half of the book far more than the first half as there seemed to be more action and a few twists and turns.

Rating:

This is mostly three stars for me, but the last 25% of the book was four stars.

Horse:

Summary:

A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history

Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. When the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name on paintings of the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamour of any racetrack.

New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance.

Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly connected through their shared interest in the horse–one studying the stallion’s bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success.

Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington, Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism.

Quick Thoughts:

My Gma suggested Horse to me a couple of years ago, and I finally got around to reading it. This book was amazing…and maybe the best book I read all year…for sure in the top five!

You know I love historical fiction, and the connection to the horse industry and Lexington, KY obviously caught my attention. That being said, there was so much more to the plot as three different time periods were woven together. This was beautifully written and very informative. The ending had a twist that I wasn’t expecting, and I really didn’t want the book to end.

The afterword with historical context info was so insightful too. As I read the book, I shared so many excerpts with Trav. Overall, this book is a fave for sure!

Rating:

The Christmas Cookie Wars:

Summary:

Melody Monroe will do anything to help her nine-year-old twin boys muster up the holiday spirit. Especially since they lost their father, the boys have started questioning the point of Christmas at all. 

So, when Melody learns the school’s Yuletide Cookie Club has disbanded due to dissension in the top ranks, she knows she must take over the cookie club herself, even if it means dealing with the infuriating school principal, Jonathan Braxton.

But when a small argument turns into a town-wide bake-off between her and Jonathan, Melody finds that her competitive spirits have turned romantic. Love can’t be in the cards. Her focus is on her boys, and saving Christmas. This year, will Melody be willing to let go of the past and embrace the magic of the holidays for herself?

Quick Thoughts:

I always like to read a holiday book in November to kick off the holiday season, and have one book to share with you going into December.

My TBR Christmas list on Goodreads is full of so many great titles. The Christmas Cookie Wars was available on Kindle, so I snagged it. It was the perfect read to start the holiday season. I loved that Melody’s boys were rambunctious, and of course she’d had heartbreak only to find love in an unexpected place. The cookie war wasn’t without a little drama too.

This was definitely a cute, seasonal read.

Rating:

Did you catch my Friday Favorites post last week? I shared quite a few holiday books that I’ve read through the years.

My Goodreads reading goal was 40 books again this year, and I’m up to 36 read. I don’t know if I can get four books read/listened to this month, but I sure look forward to trying. I have a couple of good holiday options downloaded on my Kindle. I’m not ready for another snow day just yet, but the weather is making it easy for me to want to sit inside and read by the glow of my Christmas tree…I just need my “to do” list to chill a bit!

Happy reading!

Posted in Books and Shows, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites: Holiday Books

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Friday!

How was your Thanksgiving? It’s truly my favorite holiday…food, family, football and a break from school.

If they’re hosting, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites...

…to share…some of my favorite holiday books. Now that Thanksgiving is over, I’m ready to read some Christmas/holiday themed books which has been my December tradition the past few years.

Currently I’m reading…

I always try to read one holiday book in November, so I have a new idea to share with you all for December. The Christmas Cookie Wars was the perfect way to kick start my holiday reading. I will share my November books next week.

On my list for December is this book I picked up from Barnes and Noble. Like I shared previously, I learned via Tik Tok (thanks to my sister-in-law) that every two months Barnes and Noble has a book in their cafe that is $5 with a cafe purchase.

Murder at Holly House is the November/December book. I can’t wait to read it.

I’ve shared/read these books in the past…

…and I recommend them all.

Mr. Dickens and his Carol, Christmas in Paris,

and Bright Lights, Big Christmas are all faves…

…and I loved Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Street series…10/10 recommend!

Besides Christmas Cookie War and Murder at Holly House, I hope to read…

  • Christmas with the Queen and The Merry Matchmaker, both of which I have downloaded on my Kindle.
  • I have a few others on hold at the library. I don’t know that I can actually read them all, but on my list are: A Ferry Merry Christmas, Secret Christmas Library, and Christmas at the Ranch

What holiday books do you recommend?

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week:

Monday memes
Sweet 16

On Sunday, I hope to share my Monthly Moments for November. Have a great weekend!

Posted in Books and Shows, Not Just a Mom

Share Our Lives: November 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

Well,, we went from fall to winter around here with temps now in the 30’s and a chance of snowflakes. Thankfully, it won’t last long.

It’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting Share Our Lives with some of my favorite bloggers.

This year, we’ve discussed…

  • Saving time on chores in January
  • Tips for falling asleep in February
  • Day in the life, an average day in March
  • Creative outlets/free time in April
  • How do you spend your birthday in May
  • Unique things about where you live in June
  • Best vacation memory in July
  • How do you take a break in August
  • 5 things we do each season in September
  • Go to snacks in October

This month’s topic is…habits to make time for reading.

Well, whether you’ve read my blog once or one hundred times, you probably know that one of my favorite things to do is read a good book…

I grew up with parents who read and trips to the library often, and, to me, reading is such a gift!

Some of my favorite memories as a parent are the times I took my kids to the library for story time and to check out books in the summer, on a Saturday or a snow day from school.

My kids aren’t big readers now, but I hope one day they circle back and find the joy in books again.

Anyway, on to our topic for today…here are a few tips I have for making time for reading.

1. Routine

Making reading a part of your routine. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don’t read for even a few minutes. Most of the time, it’s at bedtime, so I end up drifting off, but just having a book or my Kindle on my bedside table or coffee table makes it easy for me to read for a few minutes.

2. Lists

I love when others share what they’ve been reading, and then I add book titles to my TBR (to be read) list. For years, I had a note on my phone with a running list of what I wanted to read and what I read, but three or four years ago, I started using the Goodreads app to track my lists and my reading. It’s fun to follow friends and see what they’re reading and how they rate books.

I also think it helps to read a variety. For years, I love chick lit, but now my favorite genre is historical fiction. That being said, I still love a good mystery as well as a memoir/bio/autobio. I think reading a mix of genres keeps reading interesting.

3. Reading Goals

I’m a pretty goal oriented person, and I’m somewhat motivated to see how many books I can read in a year. So, I’ve done the Goodreads challenge the past few years. There are a variety of challenges, but I just set a goal for the number of books I hope to read, and track that way. My goal is typically 40 books, and I come close to achieving the goal most years.

4. Maximize time

I used to exclusively read books, but now I’ve owned a Kindle for probably seven years. Now, I mostly read on my Kindle, but I still love to hold a book in my hands. The Kindle is just more convenient for me. I keep it in my purse to read when I’m waiting on my kids to finish a practice, and it’s easier to download a few books before a vacation than to lug books in my carry on.

Also, I’m still somewhat new to audio books, but they are another way that I maximize my time. Now, I can listen to a book when I workout, go for a walk, or while I’m in the car. I’m really starting to like listening to books, but I do find it hard to finish one in the two week library check out window…sometimes I have to listen to them on 1.75x speed! (Of course, some books can be renewed if they aren’t on a wait list, giving me more time)

5. Reduce distractions

It’s easy to get distracted, but when I’m reading, I do put my phone away or turn the television off. It’s just good for me to have a few moments of quiet to read for a bit to unwind. Reading is definitely a stress reliever for me and something I truly enjoy doing.

What good reading habits do you have?

Next month, we’ll have our last topic of 2025…staying connected with kids/spouse/significant other. As always, we hope you’ll join us.

I hope you have a great start to your week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Posted in Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: October 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

It’s hard to believe that October is almost over…which is probably something I will say for every post this week. October tends to be one of my favorite months, so I’m actually typically sad when it’s over! October started with me reading on the beach and is ending with me cozy and reading at home while it rains outside.

This month I read three books…

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

The Academy:

Summary:

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump – was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.

But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn – and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology – everyone has something to hide.

Quick Thoughts:

This was my fall break book! I rarely purchase books, but I saw it at Target when I was picking up a few things, so I bought it too. I was so excited to read it while soaking in the sunshine.

Quick Thoughts:

This was a highly anticipated book for me, and I love Hilderbrand’s books; this one she co-wrote with her daughter. How fun!

The plot moves through the school year with each chapter a month September to May.

This book was easy to read, and I loved the boarding school drama…although there were definitely some things that surprised me from high school students. Tiffin’s campus is just what I would expect for a boarding school, and I loved that there was a map in the front of the book where all the buildings were located. There’s romance, drama, friendship and more in this book. They leave us hanging because we know there’s a letter to be opened when they graduate, which for some of the students is the next year. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Rating:

4.5 stars

Confessions of a Grammar Queen:

Summary:

There are no female publishing CEOs in 1960’s New York. And that is exactly what savvy, ambitious Bernadette Swift plans to change.

Bernadette Swift, a young copyeditor at Lenox & Park Publishing, is determined to become the first female CEO in the publishing industry. But first she needs to take the next step up that ladder with a promotion that her boorish and sexist boss wants to thwart. Seeking a base of support, Bernadette joins a feminist women’s book club at the New York Public Library, and soon, she’s inspiring her fellow members to challenge the male gatekeepers and decades of ingrained sexism in their workplaces and pursue their personal and professional dreams.

And that is precisely what Bernedette does on a daily keeps her eye on the prize—equality for women in the workplace, and a promotion—while fending off the ire of her boss and the sabotaging efforts of a jealous coworker. With the support of her book club buddies and a certain charismatic editor at Lenox & Park who has completely fallen for her, maybe, just maybe, Bernadette will prove able to claim victory for herself and the young women coming after her.

Quick Thoughts:

I read this book thanks to Sarah’s suggestion, and I couldn’t have loved it more. First of all, who doesn’t love grammar? Just kidding.

Bernadette is such a unique character as she is strong-willed and independent but she’s also vulnerable. I loved the history, the women’s book club, the characters, the love story, the message and more!

Another aspect I enjoyed was that every few chapters were written from the point of view of Bernadette’s dog Frank. So sweet and fun.

I think this book is a contender for the best book I’ve read this year.

You know I love a book if I have a couple of favorite quotes:

  • Though women were outranked on every floor, in every department, they were also the backbone of the workforce, the glue that stuck the pages to the spines. Without them, everything fell apart.
  • Good mentors never tear you down. They hold your hand and tug you through the portal of dreams.

Rating:

Paris is Always a Good Idea:

Summary:

It’s been seven years since Chelsea Martin embarked on her yearlong post-college European adventure. Since then, she’s lost her mother to cancer and watched her sister marry twice, while Chelsea’s thrown herself into work, becoming one of the most talented fundraisers for the American Cancer Coalition, and with the exception of one annoyingly competent coworker, Jason Knightley, her status as most talented fundraiser is unquestioned.

When her introverted mathematician father announces he’s getting remarried, Chelsea is forced to acknowledge that her life stopped after her mother died, and that the last time she can remember being happy, in love, or enjoying her life was on her gap year. Inspired to retrace her steps–to find Colin in Ireland, Jean Claude in France, and Marcelino in Italy–Chelsea hopes that one of these three men who stole her heart so many years ago, can help her find it again.

From the start of her journey nothing goes as planned, but as Chelsea reconnects with her old self, she also finds love in the very last place she expected.

Quick Thoughts:

I listened to this book. I enjoyed it, but it felt very long.

The premise of reconnecting with three previous loves set the timeline from the start. I thought that was a fun aspect in that Chelsea traveled to three different countries, and reconnecting with the men each provided a different encounter.

Of course, there’s some twists and turns along the way, along with a couple of R rated scenes. As the story progressed, I knew how it would end, but I was happy with the ending!

Rating:

3. 5 stars

While I’ve been a consistent reader, I’m afraid I’m going to fall short of my 40 book goal this year. I’ve read 31/40…but I feel like I’ve read more this year! Oh well, the goal is just a fun thing to do year to year. I’m doing the best I can, and I still enjoy reading, and listening to a good book!

Posted in Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: September 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday!

It’s hard to believe that there are only two days left of September, so I’m sharing the two books I read listened to in September. I guess the busyness of back to school really caught up with me in September, and most of our weekends had a lot going on too. Also, honestly, when I’m tired, I just want to watch mindless TV rather than read, I guess.

I enjoyed both audio books this month, and thank goodness I’ve gotten the hang of listening to books here and there.

This month I read:

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Big Dumb Eyes

Summary:

Nate Bargatze used to be a genius. That is, until the summer after seventh grade when he slipped, fell off a cliff, hit his head on a rock, and “my brain got, like, dented or something.” Before this accident, he dreamed of being “an electric engineer, or a brain doctor, or maybe a math person who does like, math things for a living.” Afterwards, a voice in his head told him, “It’s okay. You’re dumb now. All you got is standup.”* But the “math things’ industry’s loss is our gain because Nate went on to become one of today’s top-grossing comedians who breaks both attendance and streaming records.

In his highly-anticipated first book, Nate talks about life as a non-genius. From stories about his first car (named Old Blue, a clunky Mazda with a tennis ball for a stick shift), life as a Southerner (Northerners constantly ask him things like, do you believe in dinosaurs?), and his first apartment where a rat chewed a hole right through the wall to how his wife keeps him in line and so much more. He also reflects on such topics as Vandy football and the origins of sushi (how can a Philadelphia roll be from old-time Japan?).

Quick Thoughts:

Nate Bargatze is so funny. To me, he’s the male version of Leanne Morgan who I also find hilarious. His stories of growing up in Old Hickory, Tennessee, his love for Vandy, his journey of making his way in comedy from Chicago to New York were also so endearing and funny.

I appreciated listening to this one since he’s the narrator. If you are familiar with him, or even if you aren’t, I think you’d like this one.

Rating:

The Stranger in the Lifeboat

Summary:

Adrift in a raft after a deadly ship explosion, ten people struggle for survival at sea. Three days pass. Short on water, food and hope, they spot a man floating in the waves. They pull him in. “Thank the Lord we found you,” a passenger says. “I am the Lord,” the man whispers. So begins Mitch Albom’s most beguiling novel yet.

Albom has written of heaven in the celebrated number one bestsellers “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” and “The First Phone Call from Heaven”. Now, for the first time in his fiction, he ponders what we would do if, after crying out for divine help, God actually appeared before us? A fast-paced, compelling novel that makes you ponder your deepest beliefs, “The Stranger in the Lifeboat suggests that answers to our prayers may be found where we least expect them.”

Quick Thoughts:

This book was really interesting. It actually wasn’t on my radar, but I was scrolling available options for audio books on the Libby app and this popped up. I appreciated the back and forth between what was going on with the characters in the lifeboat and the others who found the lifeboat and were investigating the situation. This made the plot move quickly. Mitch Albom was the narrator, and one of the first books I ever read and a young adult was his Tuesdays with Morrie that my dad gave me. The spiritual component of the stranger and how the plot unfolds was interesting as well.

Rating:

I’m hoping to get more reading in this month. I rarely buy books, but I picked up Elin Hilderbrand’s newest book that she wrote with her daughter. I’m liking it so far!

Have a great Monday.

Posted in Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: August 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Another month of reading is in the books for me. I was afraid with heading back to school that I might not have as much time to read, but I still was able to read my average of three books this month too.

This month, I listened to two books and read one.

Screenshot

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Seven Summers:

Summary:

Six summers to fall in love. One summer to change everything.

Liv and Finn meet six summers ago working in a bar on the rugged Cornish coastline, their futures full of promise. When a night of passion ends in devastating tragedy they are bound together inextricably. But Finn’s life is in LA with his band, and Liv’s is in Cornwall with her family—so they make a promise. Finn will return every year, and if they are single they will spend the summer together.

This summer Liv crosses paths with Tom—a mysterious new arrival in her hometown. As the wildflowers and heather come into bloom, they find themselves falling for one another. For the first time Liv can imagine a world where her heart isn’t broken every autumn. Now Liv must make an impossible choice. And when she discovers the shocking reason that Tom has left home, she’ll need to trust her heart even more.

Quick thoughts:

I really loved this book although it’s not a light-hearted read. The chapters alternated in flashback of the seven summers and then present day. Then, it continued with some summers after the initial seven. Liv was a character you cheer for…for her happiness and her heart. I actually didn’t really see the ending coming, and I thought it was perfect.

Rating:

I’d say 4.5 stars

Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones

Summary:

A beautiful celebration of Dolly Parton’s iconic sense of style through entertaining personal stories and 450 full-color photographs, including exclusive images from her private costume archive.

In Behind the My Life in Rhinestones, global superstar Dolly Parton shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world.

Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton’s life and career, and the largest reveal of her private costume archive, this gorgeously photographed book spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now. The sky-high heels, famous wigs, bold makeup, eye-catching stage clothes—she shares them all. Along the way, Parton discusses memorable outfits from her past, from the clothes her mother would sew out of feed sacks (including her “Coat of Many Colors”) and the bold dresses and hairdos that shook up Nashville, to the bunny suit on the cover of Playboy, evening wear at Studio 54, costumes from her most famous film and TV roles, and the daring styles that continue to entertain and inspire today.

Filled with candor, humor, and lots and lots of rhinestones, Behind the My Life in Rhinestones is a shining tribute to one of the most beloved musicians in history, a treasured keepsake for anyone who loves Dolly Parton, and an indispensable guide to forging your own path to beauty and confidence.

Quick Thoughts:

Sarah recommended this book, and I love a memoir…and I love Dolly!

I think listening to it is the way to go. Hearing Dolly’s voice during the interviews as well as snippets of songs of hers through the years was icing on the cake. By not reading the book, I missed seeing pictures of the dresses, but Dolly is such an amazing story teller. Her upbringing and childhood are so interesting and she has a great sense of humor. There’s no one like Dolly!

Rating:

Dolly is of course…five stars! I do wish the book was longer, so I’d rate this 4.5 stars…but closer to five than four!

Parents Weekend:

Summary:

In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids—five residents of Campisi Hall—never show up at dinner.

At first, everyone thinks that they’re just being college students, irresponsibly forgetting about the gathering or skipping out to go to a party. But as the hours click by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon, the campus police call in reinforcements. Search parties are formed. Reporters swarm the small enclave. Rumors swirl and questions arise.

Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—The Five, as the podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths call them—come from five very different families. What led them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers come to cause them peril or a threat to the friend group from within?

Quick Thoughts:

You’d think college kids would be the issue, but these parents are a hot mess! There was all kinds of family dysfunction, but that did make the characters interesting. The chapters were really short and the plot was somewhat suspenseful, so this was a quick listen for me. I like the ending in that the readers gets an update on each individual family.

Rating:

Summer Reading Update:

Reading in the summer is one of my favorite things to do, and I love having a list to guide my book choices. .

I didn’t get to read two books…The Summer Book Club and Summer Light on Nantucket, but maybe next summer?! I’d say my favorite book of the summer was All the Summers In Between.

My summer reading list was a good one, but I’m ready to move on to other books I have on my Goodreads list.

I’m ready for cooler temps, my Kindle and a cozy blanket.

Posted in Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: July 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Where or where did July go? There’s nothing like having a bit of extra time to read in the summer…and in July, I read on vacation, at the pool, on my porch and more. What a luxury to have a little bit of downtime.

Today, I’m sharing the three books I read in July.

This month, I read two books and listened to one book:

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

Maine Characters:

Summary:

Every summer, Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster spend a month with their father at his lake house — separately. Raised in New York City, Vivian is an ambitious sommelier with a secret that could derail her future. Lucy grew up in a tiny Maine town, where she now teaches high school English while watching her marriage unravel. They’ve never met. While Lucy envied her half-sister from afar, their father kept Vivian in the dark.

When Vivian arrives at the lake to spread his ashes and sell his cabin, she’s shocked to find Lucy there, awaiting his return. In an ideal world, they’d help each other through their grief. Instead, forced to spend the summer together, they fight through a storm of suspicion and hostility to untangle the messy truth about their parents’ pasts. While Lucy is desperate to hold onto the house, Vivian is scrambling after a betrayal. After thirty years apart, is it too late for them to be a family?

Quick Thoughts:

The Parent Trap is one of my favorite movies (the OG Hayley Mills version….the Lohan version is cute too!), so I liked that element of the plot. Another summer book set at a lake…what’s not to love?! While the plot was somewhat predictable in that the sisters started out at odds with each other, their complicated past as well as the extended family and romance provided a well-rounded plot.

Overall, I thought this was a good read!

Rating:

Beach House Rules:

Summary:

When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime, she and her daughter Iris are locked out of their house by the FBI and—what’s potentially even worse—thrust into the spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite, the town’s snarky anonymous Instagram account. Cut off from her bank accounts and feeling desperate, Charlotte takes up an acquaintance’s offer to stay at a beachfront former bed-and-breakfast that’s home to a community of single mothers and draws plenty of gossip in the small coastal North Carolina town.

Charlotte and Iris find solace and are surprised by how much fun they’re having with the other families despite their circumstances. But when the women discover a secret link between them, it changes everything they thought they knew about the unconventional family they’ve created and leaves them wondering whether their coming together was a coincidence at all. Will the skeletons in the mommune closets help Charlotte and Iris reclaim their place in the Juniper Shores community—or shatter the sisterhood forever?

Quick Thoughts:

Is it even summer without a Kristy Woodson Harvey book? She’s one of my favorite authors. I thought the concept with the “mommune” was interesting. I will say I felt like the plot jumped from Charlotte and her daughter needing a place to stay to her moving into the beach house with the other ladies seemed to fall into place rather quickly! Also, some of the beach house rules (like no phones) just seemed a bit far fetched to have in place with no one questioning it. The Instagram account was a fun break in between chapters.

Rating:

While this wasn’t my favorite KWH book, I still give it four stars!

Screenshot

The Comeback Summer:

Summary:

Hannah and Libby need a miracle. The PR agency they inherited from their grandmother is losing clients left and right, and the sisters are devastated at the thought of closing. The situation seems hopeless—until in walks Lou, an eccentric self-help guru who is looking for a new PR agency. Her business could solve all their problems—but there’s a catch. Whoever works with Lou must complete a twelve-week challenge as part of her “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program.

Hannah, whose worst nightmare is making small talk with strangers, is challenged to go on twelve first dates. Libby, who once claimed to have period cramps for four weeks straight to get out of gym class, is challenged to compete in an obstacle course race. The challenges begin with Hannah helping Libby train and Libby managing the dating app on her sister’s behalf. They’re both making good progress—until Hannah’s first love rolls into town, and Libby accidentally falls for a guy she’s supposed to be setting up with her sister.

Things get even more complicated when secrets come to light, making the sisters question the one relationship they’ve always counted each other. With their company’s future on the line, they can’t afford to fail. But in trying to make a comeback to honor their grandmother, are they pushing themselves down the wrong path?

Quick Thoughts:

I enjoyed listening to this book as the plot was easy to follow. I liked the unique aspect of the plot and how the sisters are trying to save their company by completing the program…and of course that’s difficult for each of them to do. There was some R rated content in a few of the scenes! This book fell a little flat for me.

Rating:

Summer Reading Update:

Two months of summer reading and I’ve read six of the nine books on my list:

  • Read: All the Summers in Between, One Golden Summer, Bad Summer People, Maine Characters, Beach House Rules, and The Comeback Summer.
  • On my Kindle ready to read: Seven Summers, The Summer Book Club, and Summer Light on Nantucket

I had hoped to read more than three books this month, but it is what it is I guess. Realistically, with the busyness of back to school in August, I’m guessing I will be lucky to read two books, but we’ll see! The last three books on my list have been downloaded on my Kindle just in time. We’ll see what I can get to this month.

Posted in Books and Shows

What I’ve Been Reading: June 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, I don’t love that June is wrapping up, but I do always love sharing the books I read.

This month, I listened to two books and read one on my Kindle:

Screenshot

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

All the Summers in Between:

Summary:

When wealthy, impulsive summer girl Margot meets hardworking and steady local girl Thea in the summer of 1967, the unlikely pair become fast friends, working alongside one another in a record store and spending every spare moment together. But after an unspeakable incident on one devastating August night, they don’t see one another for ten years…until Margot suddenly reappears in Thea’s life, begging for help and harboring more than one dangerous secret. Thea can’t bring herself to refuse her beloved friend—but she also knows she can’t fully trust her either.

Unfulfilled as a housewife, Thea enjoys the dazzling sense of adventure Margot brings to her life, but will the truth of what happened to them that fateful summer ruin everything? Testing the boundaries of how far she’ll go for a friend, Thea is forced to reckon with her uncertain future while trying to decide if some friends are meant to remain in the past.

Quick Thoughts:

This was one of the two books that I listened to, and I loved this one. The two main characters, Thea and Margot, are very different which I think hooked me from the beginning. I also like when books bounce back and forth between time periods. The time span was only ten years in between 1967 and 1977, and that actually took me a second to pick up on since I was listening to it. Lots of life happened in those ten years, but I’m used to reading books that bounce between bigger periods of time.

This book was filled with friendship, summer, and mystery. The Hamptons setting was also a bonus point for me.

Rating:

One Golden Summer:

Summary:

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer there at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.

Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

Quick Thoughts:

This is the fourth Carley Fortune book that I’ve read. I looked back and I’ve read each of her books every summer since 2022.

One thing I liked about this book is that there were minimal characters to keep up with. The lake setting, like all her books, is perfect for summer. Charlie and Alice both seem similar, but they have their differences too…those tend to develop as the plot goes on. I thought it was sweet that Alice headed to the lake with her grandma and that she was a minor, but sweet character. There’s lots of romance with some R rated parts, but this was a great summer read.

Rating:

Bad Summer People:

Summary:

None of them would claim to be a particularly good person. But who among them is actually capable of murder?


Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have summered together on the island since childhood, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he’s the tennis pro-or someone else’s husband. But even with plenty to gossip about, this season starts out as quietly as any other.
Until a body is discovered, face down off the side of the boardwalk.

Quick Thoughts:

This was the other book that I listened to. My first thoughts were: these people are bad…privileged and bad. haha

There were quite a few characters to keep up with, but since I was listening to it, I think that’s why it was a bit of a pet peeve. The plot had a little bit of mystery and quite a few tennis references.

Rating:

I give it 4 stars for a summer book, but I’d probably rate it lower for just average reading.

Summer Reading Update:

Well, I’ve read one third of the books on my list! That’s pretty good…

  • Read: All the Summers in Between, One Golden Summer, Bad Summer People
  • Just started: Maine Characters and The Summer Book Club are on my Kindle, and I have The Comeback Summer downloaded to listen to on Libby.
  • Library wait-list: Summer Light on Nantucket, Seven Summers and Beach House Rules* (*I love KWH books, so I might buy this one is July)

This time last year, I’d read way more in June…but we’d also gone on our vacation to the PNW. Maybe July will be a bigger reading month for me.

Happy reading,

Posted in Books and Shows

Summer Reading 2025

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Monday! Mondays just hit different in the summer!

How was your weekend? Ours was great…Friday night, we celebrated my niece’s birthday; Saturday was mostly spent at the state track meet, and yesterday, I was a lazy bum until the afternoon! Then, we attended a grad party and went to my brother’s house for dinner. It was a really great weekend, but I truly feel like I’m hanging on by a thread. The end of the school year was no joke and that coupled with the busyness of Friday and Saturday have me needing a moment to do nothing.

Did you catch my post yesterday? I recapped May in a “Monthly Moments” post. It was such a great month!

Now, it’s time to turn the page to June which means it’s time for summer reading!

Love this thought:

This is one of my favorite posts to put together every year.

Here’s a look back on my lists the past few years:

This was my summer reading list in 2021:

2022:

2023:

2024:

When I make these lists, I try to be reasonable with what I actually think I can read. It seems like eight to nine summer books is attainable. I choose books that are available at the library, but then there are typically books that I know I’ll be on the wait-list for a bit. And, usually, I will purchase one book that’s new and on my list. Anyway, here’s my summer reading list for…

2025:

Is it even summer reading without a book written by Carley Fortune, Nancy Thayer or Kristy Woodson Harvey? I added The Comeback Summer to my list again this summer since I didn’t get to it last summer.

The good news is that I’ve already started listening to All the Summers in Between, and I have One Golden Summer added to my Kindle. I’ve started reading/listening to both, and I have zero regrets putting them on my summer TBR list!

What’s one of the books on your summer reading list?