I went back to my old reading style this month. I had been trying to alternate reading fiction and non-fiction books, to keep myself from getting over-engrossed in the fiction books. That backfired in that I would blaze through the nonfiction books, just to get them done so that I could return back to reading the books I wanted to read. So, I went back to my old way of checking out one fiction and one nonfiction book at the same time. When I found myself getting too engrossed in the fiction book, I took a break and read a chapter or so from the nonfiction book, and back and forth I went. That allowed me to prolong my enjoyment of the fiction, and get through the nonfiction books at a little more sustainable of a pace. My system unraveled a bit when I got out of my alternating pattern (due to waiting for a fiction book to get off hold), but I still think it is better than what I was doing.
Also, I realized this month why I like audiobooks. Growing up, my mom read aloud to us every summer: everything from The Chronicles of Narnia to Les Miserables. We also listened to Adventures in Odyssey radio drama for many years. Audiobooks take me back to those days, or at least something similar. There is something different about hearing stories, and it is hands free, so easier to incorporate into life.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this month, and though I took Lent 2025 off reading, I am glad I kept it this year. It was an enjoyable pastime as I slowed down and tried to savor a bit more of life. So without further ado, here's my March reading list:
32. Once Upon a Summertime by Melody Carlson—Anna Gordon gets her "big break" when her hometown Value Lodge fires her. She never intended to stay in Springville. She just did so because of love for her grandmother. Now with the opportunity to work at the new Rothsberg hotel in New York, she thinks she has it made. There is only one problem: her former classmate Sean O'Neil. He becomes the general manager of the hotel. She is okay with that, until he starts to get too close to her heart. The plot of this novel is a bit underdeveloped, especially the end, but it is clean, sweet, and easy to read. I appreciated the value placed on friendship, and I think I will use a little more of (the weather feels like summer) time to read other books in this series.
33. The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own by Joshua Becker—This book was captivating and convicting. In it, pastor turned blogger and writer Joshua Becker shares about his family’s journey into minimalism. He writes about the excesses of American life and how minimalism can lead to more generosity. He’s not a one-size-fits-all minimalist, either. Rather, he encourages each family to downsize to the version of less that fits their calling in life. While I don’t think I will ever get to a state of true minimalism, this book contributes to my continued desire to sort, declutter, and downsize in order to have less and make room to live a more full life.
34. Wildflower by Drew Barrymore [Audio book]—Wow. What a book. It reminds me a little bit of Britney Spear’s autobiography in that it’s full of unhinged stories. It’s Barrymore’s book in its own right though, in that Barrymore has some clear values: like raising her children well and caring for the underprivileged in Africa. Barrymore is a great actress (as well as a voice actress), and man does she have a story—a story riddled with sadness and mental illness, but also grit, determination, and perseverance. Overall, this book is less cohesive memoir and more a series of short essays about different events in Barrymore’s life. It’s not linear, which can be confusing, and it’s filled with use the f word, which was disappointing because it had some good elements of audio drama. (It was more drama than audiobook). All in all, I can’t say I recommend this book at all. It’s too wild. It does give another sad window into the lives of childhood film stars, though (starting work at 11 months, not really going to school, being emancipated at age 14 and raising herself, lots of drinking and risk-taking, etc.). I think we as a society really need to do better with child actors. Children should be children raised by wise and kind adults, not just left to run wild a free, regardless of how appealing that may seem.
35. Once Upon a Summertime by Melody Carlson—Once again, this story felt a little underdeveloped, but I read through the author's book list, and it's pretty long, so she must write a lot. It also looks like she started writing books for teen girls, both of which would track with less intricate story lines. Anyway, in this book, Tia D'Amico goes to San Francisco to work as chef on her Aunt Julie and Uncle Roland's boat. There she meets boat captain Leo Parker, someone she knows from her teen sailing camp days. Once upon a time, she would have fallen for him, but now he is engaged to Natalie, another girl from sailing camp who desperately wants to be Tia's friend. Tia desperately tries to keep everything above board, but there are some secrets and some fallings out, and then (spoiler alert, but not really), Tia and Leo fall for each other. This book was good enough and easy enough to read that I put the last book in the series on hold at the library.
36. Letter from Japan by Marie Kondo with Marie Iida —I read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up first in 2017. Last year, in 2025, Kondo wrote this book: an insight into her culture and how it informs her work. While I have never visited Japan (but my brother has), this book certainly made me more interested in it. As Kondo presents it, Japan is a place of more slower paced, seasonal, communal living. She writes about the many cultural rituals that focus on finding joy and how other cultures miss that in their hustle and bustle. She writes some of the Buddhist/Shinto religion, and though that is not for me as a Christian, there are other practices worth pondering. If nothing else, it helps me to read how extensively joy factors into Kondo’s tidying work and how that, not the resulting tidiness, should be the motivating factor.
37. The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story by Marie Kondo, illustrated by Yuko Uramoto, translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano—This was a fun way to review the rules of the KonMari method. Written manga style, it is the story of Chiaki, a young woman in Toyko who cannot enjoy her life because of the mess of her apartment. She hires Marie Kondo to help, and as a result, reclaims her joy. Obviously, there is more to joy than tidying, and having just read Letter from Japan, I see the Shinto elements of the KonMari method. Still, I think there is something to say about detaching from stuff and attaching to joy, Jesus being the ultimate joy for Christians. While I would not say this book was life-changing, the manga style made it short and fun, and I enjoyed reading it.
38. The Art of Discarding by Nagoya Tatsumi—Marie Kondo credits this book with starting her decluttering process. It’s not bad, but I think the introduction pretty much sums it up. Stop keeping stuff. Discard. Stop amassing new stuff. Set limits for consumption. There are some strategies in the book towards these ends, but the ending admonition is pretty much the same: Stop delaying; start discarding. I read this book quickly, so it was not a waste, per se, but I think other books might be more helpful motivation, inspiration, and education for decluttering.
39. Adventures in Opting Out: A Field Guide to Leading an Intentional Life by Cait Flanders [Audiobook]—Cait Flanders has opted out many times: leaving a government job, quitting drugs and drinking, stopping shopping (see her first book, The Year of Less), and then pulling up her roots for a year of planned (and unplanned) travel. In this book, she writes about opting out of others’ expectations and choosing her own path. She uses the analogy of hiking, sharing about the base, valley, slope, and summit of opting out. This is part “you do you,” but with a side of considering how personal choices affect others and the environment. I enjoyed listening to this on audiobook, as it helped me reflect on my own opting in (or out, as the case may be), and what is costs me, because all decisions have a cost.
40. Reinventing Rachel by Alison Strobel—Twenty-six year-old Rachel Westing is used to having reciprocal relationship with God. She does stuff for Him. He does stuff for her. When a storm of trials come her way, she loses her way, running from God, and refusing to talk to Him. She moves from California to Chicago, giving up church and Bible reading for alcohol and non-Christian relationships. Things get worse and worse and worse until she ends up hospitalized. There are some very redeeming parts of this book, but some flat development of non-primary characters. It was also hard for me to read a book where I was going, “No, no, no! Don't do that!” for much of it. I just do not know what to make of Strobel's books. I am also very curious why, for the second time, the book has included a character with bipolar disorder. Does Strobel know someone with it? Has she struggled? The mysteries are many. I would probably read a few more of Strobel's books out of curiosity, but it looks like those books are limited and she has now reinvented herself (with her husband) as a children's book author.
41. Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith—I did not love this book. It is not like I got stuck reading it—I read it pretty quickly. The messages middle sister Joan Sanderson learns about God's unconditional, fatherly love are valuable. She also learns about letting go, service to others, and genuineness. Even though it really wasn't, this story just felt trite and simple overall. While there are two more books in this series, I think I am going to try another series before coming back to this one.
42. Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really Is So Much More by Courtney Carver—As part of her move to simplify her life, Courtney Carver created the 333 challenge (wearing only 33 pieces of clothing and accessories for three months), and it went viral. I read about the challenge in Carver's first book, Soulful Simplicity, and again in Joshua Becker's book, The More of Less. I thought I understood the challenge, and so I tried it, for about a week and then failed, miserably. This book helped me understand the challenge in its entirety, especially the prep work that should go into it. In the end, while I appreciated the book, I don't think I will do the challenge. Boxing up clothes to reduce decision fatigue especially bothers me, as it seems like a waste. But maybe this is where my misunderstanding comes in. The 333 challenge is not so much decluttering as it is about minimalism. I think I am more about decluttering and simplifying than about minimalism. Still, this book gave me things to think about, and for that, I am grateful. And who knows? Maybe now that the seed is planted, I might change my mind and decide to do the challenge someday.
43. Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Lessons I Learned from All Three by Dawn Staley [Audio book] —This was a good book! I noticed it on the library’s Best Books of 2025 List and thought it would be interesting. It was, and an inspiring on at that! I had never heard of Dawn Staley, but let me tell you, after listening to her story, I am a fan. Her story of growing up in the projects, working up to collegiate, world, and then NBA and Olympic basketball, and now a winning NCAA coach is incredible. Her commitment to coaching as a relational process by which to build up the next generation is commendable. While she does not talk about it too much in the book (probably due to outcry from some of her media appearances in which she thanked God), she seems to be a woman of faith, and is motivated by that faith to do what she does. Apart from some language (not preferred by me, but understandable given her background, as well as her current coaching role), I found this a very enjoyable listen. With 13 lessons for life, I would say this book has something to offer everyone—basketball fan or not. While Staley believes she has received uncommon favor, she is not hoarding it. Instead, she is sharing it for all who will read (or listen)!
44. Messy Minimalism: Realistic Strategies for the Rest of Us by Rachelle Crawford [Audiobook]—I am starting to realize that minimalist authors must run in the same circles, as the author of this book quotes some of the others I have read: Joshua Becker, Courtney Carver, etc. Crawford was a labor and delivery nurse, a busy, messy, and cluttered mom, and now a minimalist. This book is a little different in that she encourages a grace-based approach to minimalism—putting a greater emphasis on mindset than on material goods. She does weave her Christian faith into some of the book (like Becker). I would say that the unique additions she adds to the movement are a chapter on decluttering the schedule (calendar space versus capacity space), a reminder that minimalism may require facing personal pains (because decluttering ends at some point, leaving empty time and space), and an acknowledgement that minimalism is not all fulfilling (because life is about more). I listened to this book on audio, and while it was not earth-shattering, it was good motivation to think about living a life with purpose, rather than just accepting (and adding to) the mess that naturally comes with life.
45. Age Before Beauty by Virginia Smith—I said I was not going to read any more in the Sanderson Sister-to-Sister series, but then I really did not want to get into any other character plots, so I slid into this book. I am glad I did! This book had a lot more depth, with a focus on the eldest sister, Allie. Allie is wrestling with all that comes with being a new mom: questions about her identity, shame over her appearance, guilt over leaving her baby to go to work, ghosts of the past that threaten her marriage, and estrangement from the faith she left when she got married. Her husband Eric, meanwhile, is wrestling with all the women in his life: his mother (who showed up on the doorstep estranged from his dad), his wife, his daughter, and a woman at work who seems to want more than friendship. There are small subplots involving Joan and Tori, but overall, this is a story of love, loss, and finding a new perspective on what really matters. I read this book pretty quickly—and enjoyed it! Now onto the last book, because I am a sucker for series. (And what redemption story will beautiful little sister Tori have?)
46. Third Time’s a Charm by Virginia Smith—Tori Sanderson's job as a marketing research analyst is heating up, and it couldn't come at a worse time. She's trying to get ready for Joan's wedding, and deal with some newly uncovered information about her absent father. Enter farm boy Ryan Adams, who shows interest in her, adding another complication. This book mostly wraps up the Sanderson sisters' search for love, but I didn't like it as much as Age Before Beauty. Yes, the story had some depth, but the shopaholic, business woman meets farm boy trope seemed a bit forced. The whole story kind of did. It was not a bad book, but it was not a book that charmed me, either. With the end of this series, I am for sure looking for something different for my next read!
47. The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma and Adversity by Nadine Burke-Harris, M.D.—This book, albeit dated, is a great resource! In it, Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris uses story to share about her work in the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) movement. Spoiler alert (something not learned until the end of the book), she has them, too. They are, in part, her why for writing. This book is not so much about eliminating ACEs as it is about the need for comprehensive programs to address their effects. We aren’t to the 2040 vision Burke-Harris paints at the end of the book, but we are making progress. I hope more people read this book and get in the business of helping kids (and adults) recover from trauma. It isn’t just professionals that individuals who endure trauma need. Any secure, steady relationship can be a buffer that helps reduce the long term effects of the well of adversity.
48. The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters by Joanna Gaines [Audiobook]—This is second time Joanna Gaines says she has written her life story. She wrote in first in her twenties, and now at age 44 (at the 2022 writing of this book), she is reconsidering life again—as she enters her “second act” of life. She writes that one of her values is vulnerability, and here she is baring it all, in hopes that her story will inspire others. This book is more philosophical than specifically gritty, but it is honest and real, which is what Joanna Gaines is. This story has a lot to say about setting aside perfect, accepting God's love, growing through pain, and having fun. It's not exactly a memoir and not self-help either. It's Joanna Gaines' own brand of sharing and inspiring which is fitting for a woman who actually did (with her husband Chip) build her own brand!
49.Why We Work by Barry Schwartz [Audiobook]—Psychologist Barry Schwartz has studied human behavior for decades, and he proposes that theories about human nature actually change human nature. In this book, he explores how the theory that people work for external incentives (eg money)has undermined the very meaning of work. He writes about how the current economy's promotion of pay actually undermines the social good that can come from work. He argues that meaning, challenge, autonomy, and engagement are actually what create meaning in work. He suggests that designing workplaces that value work and add meaning to work will conversely help employees value work and find meaning in it. This is both a practical and philosophical book—a little different from my norm, but worth listening to for a few hours while I did, you guessed it, cooking and housework. I might have gotten more from it had I been actually reading and not multi-tasking.
50. Under a Summer Sky by Melody Carlson—This last book in Melody Carlson's Follow Your Heart Series takes high school art teacher Nicole Anderson from Seattle, Washington to Savannah, Georgia. Tasked with managing an art gallery over the summer, she also assumes the task of semi-parenting Bernice, the teenage daughter of a friend of the family. Bernice's father, Alex, would like Nicole to show some interest in him, but Nicole has none. She is interested instead in his brother Ryan, the man who had a crush on her as a kid, but now seems to be taken by another one of his childhood friends. While the plot of this book seems a bit trite, it is actually a deeper story, despite a lack of strong faith integration. (A few characters pray, and that is about it.) It is clean and sweet and good for a (pre-)Summer read. I enjoyed it!
51. If You Don’t Like This, I Will Die: An Influencer Memoir by Lee Tilghman [Audiobook]—This book was definitely NOT what I was expecting. I knew Lee Tilghman as an ex-wellness influencer who had quietly (or not so quietly) exited the influencer space, touting its harmful effects on her physical, mental, emotional, and relational health. What I found in this book was explicit retellings of her sexual exploits, hard drug use, and recountings of multiple abortions. Sure, there was stuff in there about how she started online as twelve year old, and went through multiple remakings to keep selling her brand, how she sold “authenticity,” but lacked integrity. (She writes of stealing from influencer brands through using gift card codes that were not hers.) Tilghman recognized how she’d lost herself after a mental breakdown, apartment flood, and stint at a treatment center for orthorexia. She writes in the epilogue that she isn’t against influencing now, but is against losing herself in it. That’s all good and well, but from what I can tell, Tilghman is back in the influencer space, having recreated herself as an influencer coach. While I always want to promote mental health and never want to disparage anyone outright, I do have to say that I didn’t like this book and cannot recommend it. Maybe read Tilghman’s Substack instead? But even that comes with a cost.
52. Homemade Cleaners by Mandy O’Brien and Dionna Ford—This was an interesting read, and honestly made me feel a little bit like a chemist! The authors obviously have an environmental agenda to push, but aside from that, they have some interesting (and science-backed) ideas about how to clean a house naturally, rather than with harsh commercial chemicals. (I acknowledge that cleaning commercial properties this way is probably untenable due to time and supplies. What I gathered, is that when I doubt, baking soda, vinegar, and water in some proportion will probably work!) While I already use vinegar for a lot of my cleaning, it would still require some effort to change to completely natural products in my home. With this being a year of less, that change isn’t making its way into my current priority list, but if it did, I might purchase this book as a home resource.
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And that, my friends, is my extensive reading (and listening) list for March. Have you read any of these books? What books have you read recently that you would recommend? Please share in the comments section!
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