Summer Reading List 2025

 

 Hello everyone!

 Here we are at the beginning of another summer! 

Reading is a big part of my life. I do it every day. Every single day. If I can't sit down with a book, I always make time to listen while I'm driving or creating or working around the house. I thank God my momma read to me. I thank God my teachers read to me. They helped my imagination to grow and develop so that I see stories play out in my mind as I read or listen. 

 Please take time to read aloud to your children from very young to as old as they'll still listen. That might be older than you think. It's good for them, and it's good for you. I'll be reading to my little grandson as soon as I can get him to sit still for a couple of minutes! He's not quite two. ~smile~ There's a whole lot of world to explore, and he's busy at it.

Here's my summer reading list for 2025. I'll be honest, I always end up adding more to my lists. I'll update regularly with my progress.  

♥

BIBLE

Finish the Old Testament

with a YouVersion Bible.com reading plan.

I moved on to the New Testament!

Update 08-13:All done!

♥

FICTION

Dead Sea Rising

Jerry B Jenkins

Dr. Craig Evans, Biblical Consultant

I finished this June 2nd. 

Oh dear, there is a sequel. Shall I add it or not?

07-21-25: I started it last night!

Update 8:14: LOVED IT

♥

King of the Golden River

John Ruskin

I lost interest. I will not finish it.

♥

Old Detectives Home

Omnipodge Trilogy Book 1

Mike Befelor

 I had trouble sourcing this book, so I didn't read it.

♥

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche

Nancy Springer

6-5 Listening to audiobook

whilst knitting and sewing

6-6 Finished

I enjoyed this so much!

She's Sherlock Holmes' little sister.

♥

For a Lifetime

Timeless Book 3

Gabrielle Meyer

I picked this up from the library July 8th. 

I'm already several chapters in. 

Update: 7-15: I LOVED IT!

♥

\

The Whispered Word

Ellery Adams

I finished this 6-18.

I cannot recommend it. The story was great, but there was some light foul language and a few s.. references that I wish she'd left out.

♥

NON-FICTION

Western Heritage a Reader

Hillsdale College Press

I'm taking the Hillsdale College Western Heritage course for free.

Update 8/5: I am studying the Romans now.

♥

Oh! This was so good for understanding the atmosphere of the late '50s and early '60s in the USA.

It's about the assassination attempt while Kennedy was president elect. 

Finished on June 5th.

Trim Healthy Mama Plan

Pearl and Serene

Reading it now

♥

The Story of Science

Aristotle Leads the Way

Joy Hakim

I'm reading this now.

♥

Sink Reflections

Marla Cilley

Finished!

Books not planned but added later:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Finished books not planned but added later:

The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham ~ finished 6/10

Enola Holmes Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer ~ finished 6/11

A Lovely Life by Melissa Michaels finished 6/26

Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose by Nancy Springer ~ finished 7/1

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie ~ finished 7/2

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnussen ~ finished 7/13

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen ~ finished

For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer ~ finished

Dead Sea Conspiracy by Jerry B Jenkins ~ finished

Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer

Please join me! Let me know what you're reading. What do you recommend? I've been enjoying Gabrielle Meyer, Melody Carlson, Melanie Dobson, Stephenia H. McGee, and Michelle Griep among others this year. Please do write to me! 

Happy Reading and Listening!

Laura ~ Glad for Summer Break!

*Summer reading list image generated by Canva AI

Winter Reading List ~ 2025

Winter Reading List 2025

 It's busy busy around here. I'm not putting up photos or links this time. I thought you might still like to see what I'm reading and/or planning to read in the next couple of months. 

Currently Reading:

• The Old Testament as far as I can get
• Trim Healthy Mama Plan
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Western Heritage: A Reader by Hillsdale College 
• The American Spirit by David McCullough

Planning to Read:

• The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

Finished:

January 

• Paradise Lost by Jon Milton ~ See my review.
• The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carlson
• The Truth in Tiramisu by Rachel Bloome 
• A Guilded Age Getaway by Stephenia McGee  
• The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge 
• From Heaven by A.W. Tozer 
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

February

• The Conundrum of Coach 13 by John Taylor
• The Winter Ghosts by Kate Moss
• The 10:59 Assassin by Jon Milton
• Second Time Around by Melody Carlson
• The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
• To Be Read at Dusk by Charles Dickens
• The Course of Human Events by David McCullough
• Miss Marley by Vanessa LaFaye
• Simple Pleasures by Robert Taylor
• Lighthouse: A Story of Rememberance by Robert Munsch
• The Trinity Vicarage Larceny by John Taylor

March

• The New Testament
• The Secret in Sandcastles by Rachael Bloome
• The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson

This is a very ambitious list. I know that I won't finish it all. I don't have massive time for reading; so, I like to listen to audiobooks while I do other things... like knitting!

So, I encourage you, make a list and check it twice. Then, snatch read if you must, but do read or listen to some good books this winter. Use your minutes!

Count your blessings!

Laura

Summer Reading List at Harvest Lane Cottage

 Reading is a big part of my life. I do it every day. Every single day. Sometimes I can't sit down with a book, but I always make time to listen while I'm driving or creating or working around the house. I thank God my momma read to me. I thank God my teachers read to me. They helped my imagination to grow and develop so that I see stories play out in my mind as I read or listen. I've recently found that not everyone does that. 

 Please take time to read aloud to your children from very young to as old as they'll still let you. It's good for them, and it's good for you. You can bet I'll be reading to my little Gibby just as soon as he can sit and look at a book. ~smile~

Here's my promised summer reading list for 2023. I'll be honest, I always end up adding more to the list that may or may not show up here. 

  Please join me! Let me know what you're reading. What do you recommend? My friend, Laura, told me about Molly MacRae's cozy mysteries. I've already read two in the last few weeks. I'm hoping to make this blog a lot more interactive. I love corresponding with readers. 

  So here's my 2023 Summer Reading List:

Bible in 90 days 

with a YouVersion Bible.com reading plan.

YES! It's a lot! More than I expected. I'm not sure if I'll do 90 days again. The only way I can do it is by listening most of the time. I finished. 

♥

I'm listening to Love, Pray, Listen 
by Mary DeMuth on Scribd.
All done!
5 stars!

I began to read Mere Christianity
by C.S. Lewis but didn't finish it.
I find I just don't have the brain space to finish this until this fall.
Finished.

I downloaded John Adams
by David McCullough from Scribd.
McCullough is one of my favorite history writers.
I just started this July 4th.
This is a very long book!
August 3rd I'm still listening!

Homespun Devotions
is a very encouraging devotional book
by Cheryl Smith.
Finished 

Preserving by the Pint
by Marisa McClellan
Done

And for fun...

Spinning in her Grave
by Molly MacRae
I listened on Scribd.  I couldn't resist starting the next in the series! 

Nightfall in the Valley of Deep Time
by Tracy Higley
It's on my Scribd app.
Fished this. 
Fabulous! 
5 stars!

♥

If you'd like to keep up with my reading progress,

you can follow me on Goodreads. 

I update my progress

regularly.

Laura Lane

*I signed up for a free trial of Scribd in February 2019. It's a service where you can read or listen to books for just $11.99 a month with no limit.  

I kept the plan, because we really use it and like it a lot. We especially like the extensive list of audio books. Take a look. If you sign up from this link, you can get a two free months trial, and I'll get one month free, too.

Summer Reading List ~ 2020 ~ Harvest Lane Cottage

Reading is one of my cherished ways to relax or learn. I am fond of losing myself in a book or pondering as I read non-fiction. I make time daily to read or listen to good books. There's nothing that can make housework go quicker for me than listening to the Bible or a marvelous book. I especially like to use the the text-to-speech feature on my Kindle Fire 8 Tablet or listen to some audio books on Scribd* while I work or knit.

Reading a lot of books is as simple as using every free moment. Even when I had small children I read a lot. Many of those books were educational kids' or teens' books. ~smile~

I've included affiliate Amazon links for your convenience. I listen to many books on Scribd for a single fee of $8.99 a month. Details are below.

It's a long list, but I've already started some of these books. Ambitious lists help me to read and listen more while I'm doing other things. Have you made your list yet?

Here's what's on my book pile, my Scribd app, and in my Kindle for summer reading:

The Time of Jacob's Trouble 

by Donna VanLiere on Scribd
I finished it!

Stepping Heavenward 

by Elizabeth Prentiss on Scribd 

a book club selection
I finished it!

Mother Culture 

by Karen Andreola

A gift from the author
I'm reading and savoring!

Close to the Wind 

by John Harris

Old book borrowed from the coffee shop
I finished it!

The Fallacy Detective 

by Nathaniel Bluedorn

One of my kids' old homeschool books
Still reading!

Make Something Good Today 

by Ben and Erin Napier on Scribd
Reading and enjoying how they write
exactly like they're talking to you!

Moby Dick

by Herman Melville on Kindle
I finished it! I deserve a medal!

The Masterpiece

by Francine Rivers on Scribd

a book club selection
It turned out much better than I thought.

Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe 

by Debbie Johnson on Scribd
I stopped reading a chapter or two in because of bad language.
A shame because it was interesting.

Biblical Minimism 

by Cheryl Smith

a review book
I'm reading and thinking my way through this.

Persian Betrayal 

by Terry Brennan  

a review book

I've got it but haven't started.

The Gentleman Spy 

by Erica Vetsch

a review book
I've begun.

Using Bible.com to read:

Acts ~ finished!

Romans ~ finished!

1 Corinthians ~ finished!

2 Corinthians ~ finished!

Galations ~ finished!

Ephesians ~ finished!

Philipians ~ finished!

Colossians ~ finished!

As you can see, I use Scribd a lot. You get unlimited ebooks and audio books plus sheet music, articles, and other reading materials for just one low price. $8.99 a month. You don't have to pay per book. It's all included in the one price. It's the best money I've spent this year!

If you use my link, you'll get a 2 month free trial of Scribd, and I will get a free month as well. I'm not an affiliate, it's just a neat perk that they have for their subscribers who tell their friends. I've earned 180 free days just sharing how much I love their service! You can too.

Blessings to you all! Seize the day! Bring a book!

Laura

Find me online here:

Laura Lane on Goodreads

2020  22 Finished Books

Goal 50

HarvestLaneLaura on Ravelry

Harvest Lane Cottage on Facebook

@lauraofharvestlane on Instagram

laura@harvestlanecottage.com

Address available by email

Paypal donations to lauraofharvestlane@gmail.com 

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