Amanda's Bookish World Summer 2025

Hello, again. Miss me? Don't answer that. While I’ve certainly been reading a lot (including 14 during the two weeks I took off work), I’ve also been thinking about consumption. How much we (okay, I) consume. And I don’t necessarily mean with money, though that’s certainly true, too. It’s the constant stream of new information or stories online, in print, on the screen that goes in, in, in.

So I’ve occasionally also sat outside without a book or a screen and watched the clouds go by and pondered the general state of the world in 2025 (not great). When life tends to get hard, whether it’s mine or the world’s or a combination of both, I tend to retreat into my comfortable place of consumption; at some point, I want to shift back into creating. This little newsletter is one of those things. But I’m also trying to find other options. Like journaling. Or, I don’t know. Tell me your favorite ways to create.

Books I’ve Read

Savor It and Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt. Small town contemporary romance. I did not anticipate how much I would like these?!?! Her writing really hit the same spot for me that Kate Clayborn’s writing hits. And I love a good Oregon setting.

Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night by Kresley Cole.The Immortals After Dark series is the gift that keeps on giving. Gimme all of them.

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli. This was a cute rivals to lovers workplace romance. I liked this setup and execution better than The Design of Us, which was also workplace rivals to lovers. Even if the corporate BS felt just little too real, and the ending was a bit rushed.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn. If the Golden Girls were assassins, you would get this book. This was an easy, fun read. It’s good to challenge myself to read outside of romance more, and this was a good choice.

Teach Me by Olivia Dade. I love Olivia Dade books. This is a sweet story about two teachers (in their 40s and divorced) who fall in love.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. I finally read this for science and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I was also delighted to learn that my brother is a fan of this series.

The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells. I bought Vol. 1 of this series (with books 1 and 2), read it, and knew that I needed the rest of the books immediately. As soon as I could, I took myself to the bookstore to get Volumes 2 and 3, then went back the following day after I learned there’s a full length novel in between the last two volumes. Highly recommend this series, my brain wanted only Murderbot. I am already tempted to reread this series. (I have not watched the TV series. It’s probably happen. Eventually.)

My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long. This was an audiobook read that I listened to on a long drive and then again while putting together a puzzle. Didn’t love this one as much as I usually love Julie Anne Long books, and can’t decide if it was because I couldn’t stop thinking about the age gap between main characters or if it was a format mismatch.

Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World by Jevin D. West and Carl T. Bergstrom. This was an interesting read (listen) about seeing through modern-day bullshit. In grad school, I took a class around research methods and read a lot of academic studies, and this book felt like the accessible version of that, with a dose of “here’s how studies and data can be skewed.” People tend to think that science and studies are objective, but humans bring their biases and beliefs into everything. Although I listened to the audiobook, this is definitely a book you’d want a physical copy of.

Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews. REREAD! After finishing Murderbot (and being sad there was no more Murderbot for a while), my brain glommed onto this series. I don’t make the rules.

When We're in Charge: The Next Generation's Guide to Leadership by Amanda Litman. Don’t totally remember why I put this book on my library holds. It was an audiobook. It was good, though not always applicable.

Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet by Geo Rutherford. Um, yes, hello. I’m a big fan of Geo and Spooky Lakes Month, so I picked this one up. Yes, it’s technically a kid’s book. But don’t let that stop you. Geo’s illustrations are stunning and you can never have too many spooky lakes in your life.

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean. This book is MacLean’s first real big foray into contemporary fiction. (She technically has a contemporary romance in an anthology.) This is not really a romance, and while I enjoyed it, I enjoy her historicals more.

When a Rouge Meets His Match by Elizabeth Hoyt. This book was an impulse purchase at Tropes & Trifles because I wanted some classic historicals and it was on the MN connections shelf. When I went through the Great Historical Romance Bender a decade ago, I wasn’t keen on Elizabeth Hoyt. But time changes people, and I’m rethinking my stance. Will likely read more.

Lord of Temptation by Lorraine Heath. I decided to read a Lorraine Heath before we read a different book for book club, which is always a bit of a gamble. In this case, it paid off. Might have to dive into Heath’s backlist after this.

The Bucket and Friends series by Tom Rademacher. I’ve worked with Tom and was excited to read his first series for kids. There are three books that feature Bucket and their friends solving problems, being friends, and making their slice of the world a better place.

Romancing Ms. Stone by M.C. Vaughan. I was skeptical of this book because I’m always a little wary of books where one of the love interests spends the entire time pining for someone else. That didn’t really present a problem in this book, though the ending might not be to everyone’s liking.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank and The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen. I really enjoyed The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, the first book in the series, but the second two didn’t live up to the first.

Tonight, I Burn by Katharine J. Adams. Enjoyed this one. An immersive world with witches who can walk between life and death. It’s clearly a series—the plot points tie up in this first book, but leave you wanting more.

The Book Club Corner

There have been many book clubs! Here’s a collection of all of them, both read and upcoming.

July books:

• Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

• An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward

• A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis

August books:

• Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady

• Waking up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath

September books:

• Teacher of the Year by M.A. Wardell

• You, Again by Kate Goldbeck (contemporary)

Books I’ve Bought

In the interest of not making this any longer, here’s an abridged version of books I’ve bought in the past few months.

• The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe (historical romance, Gilded Age)

• Her Soul for a Crown by Alysha Rameera (romantasy)

• Anywhere with You by Ellie Palmer (contemporary)